Marketplace All-in-One

Consumer sentiment reports reflect a universal truth: Lower income households feel the punch of inflation worse than wealthy households. But affordable housing — and lack thereof — is one issue that brings Americans together, across the wealth divide. Plus, Christopher Bass tells us what it’s like to be a high school basketball coach with a massive social media following. At just 5 years old, he’s got big hoop dreams.

From the BBC World Service: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday — we’ll get into what they spoke about. Plus, Chinese tech company ByteDance says it has no intention of selling TikTok to comply with a new U.S. law. And back in January, Japan Airlines announced its first female president and chief executive. We’ll hear from a former flight attendant who says Japan has a ways to go when it comes to workplace gender equality.

The noncompete clause is dead! American tech workers are poised to benefit from the Federal Trade Commission’s new crackdown on the agreements, which prevent a company’s ex-employees from working for its rivals for a specified time. Also, Tesla’s profits crashed 55%. As electric vehicle sales sputter, we wonder why more players are still speeding into the space. But first, TikTok’s top executive was defiant after the passage of a massive foreign aid package that included a directive to the company: Sell to a U.S. buyer or get banned. Marketplace’s Lily Jamali is joined by Paresh Dave, senior writer at Wired, for his take on this week’s tech news.

Gross domestic product grew by 1.6% in the first quarter, slower than expected after the six-quarter steak of 2% growth or more. How will the Federal Reserve respond to this data when making its next interest rate decision? Also in this episode: The new deep-water channel helping cargo ships leave the Port of Baltimore, protecting trade secrets with noncompete agreements, and the struggling pneumatic tube business gets a boost from the cannabis industry.

Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap! The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern. We’ll have news, drinks and play a round of Half Full/Half Empty.

It was a big week for tech earnings calls. Guest host Nova Safo unpacks how they went down for Tesla and Meta, and why the stock market reacted so differently to what their CEOs had to say. Plus, what Boeing’s troubles say about the state of U.S. manufacturing. And, would you try an AI-generated gin cocktail?

Here’s everything we talked about today:

Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap! The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern. We’ll have news, drinks and play a round of Half Full/Half Empty.

Stocks fall; consumer spending slows from prior quarter; inflation nearly doubles fourth quarter pace; pending home sales rise.

GDP grew by a lower than expected 1.6%; Initial jobless claims fell to 207,000 last week; Pending home sales rose 3.4% in March; Meta spending on AI triggers selloff in shares.

The U.S. economy grew by just 1.6% last quarter — falling very short of expectations. At the same time, inflation was up, according to the latest PCE. What’s the Federal Reserve’s next move? Plus, small businesses could see big productivity gains by collaborating with other firms, a McKinsey report shows.

From the BBC World Service: Venice, Italy, has become the first city in the world to charge day trippers. But is $5.30 enough to keep a lid on tourist numbers? And, we’ll take a look at the $300 billion ‘modest fashion’ industry as thousands of models, designers and buyers arrive in Istanbul for Modest Fashion Week.

When Jeff Bezos left Wall Street to start Amazon in 1994, the most common question he got was “What’s the internet?” Fast-forward to today, and Amazon is, of course, the country’s leading online retailer, as well as cloud services provider. In 2022, the company controlled almost 38% of the U.S. e-commerce market. Walmart, its closest competitor, had just over 6%, according to Insider Intelligence. In her new book, “The Everything War,” The Wall Street Journal’s Dana Mattioli documents the tactics she says have enabled Amazon to dominate.

Today, we’re talking about two different kinds of bans. As expected, President Joe Biden signed the TikTok sell-or-ban bill. But first, guest host Meghan McCarty Carino breaks down the Federal Trade Commission’s decision to ban noncompete agreements and their impact on workers and innovation. Plus, we’ll smile about Emily Dickinson and her newfound love of exclamation points!!! And how “old” is “old”?

Here’s everything we talked about today:

Want more Make Me Smart in your life? Sign up for our newsletter at marketplace.org/smarter.

Today, President Joe Biden took a decisive step by signing a bill that could ban TikTok in the U.S. unless its Chinese owner, ByteDance, divests from the company within nine months. This move echoes a long history of limiting foreign ownership of communications companies, dating back to the founding of this country. Also in this episode: Boeing’s financial woes, the NBA’s media bidding war and New England’s free college frenzy.

Stocks close mixed; Boeing slows production of 737 MAX planes; mortgage rates at highest level since November; durable goods orders rise.

Congress passed the measure, and Biden has vowed to sign it; Tesla profit falls in Q1; Boeing reports $355 million quarterly loss; Norfolk Southern report meager profit after train derailment settlement; Visa revenues beat forecasts as consumers spent; Labor Department increases overtime eligibility.

Call it a manufacturing resurrection: Orders for durable goods — big-ticket items from washing machines to airplanes — rose 2.6% in March. It’s a sign that manufacturing is coming back online and the economy is getting get back to where the Fed wants it to be. Plus, it’s earnings season. How are companies doing so far? Then, we head to the Spanish city of Algeciras, where one out of four people is unemployed.

The Joe Biden administration has announced a pair of new measures to strengthen worker protections. It’s widening eligibility for overtime, bringing in millions of more employees, and is looking to largely ban on noncompete agreements, which bar workers from joining competing companies. We’ll hear more. We’ll also hear more about what all is included in the $95 billion foreign aid package and how internet providers have been lobbying against lower broadband prices.

From the BBC World Service: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has arrived in China with a long list of global issues on his agenda: There’s conflict in the Middle East, America’s support for Taiwan and the way China supplies crucial technology to Russia’s war effort in Ukraine. Also: key issues for women voting in India’s general election and southern Spain’s struggle with the highest unemployment rate in Europe.

Imagine you’re a national security official tasked with monitoring activity off the coast of your fictitious country. Suddenly, a large tanker ship in your area goes silent. Its location sensor is offline, and it’s not responding to radio communication. What do you do? It’s a question Francesca de Rosa, chief scientist for gaming at the Center for Advanced Preparedness and Threat Response Simulation, poses in the Reliability Game, which she designed. It’s part of a genre known as “serious games.” De Rosa told Marketplace’s Lily Jamali that while serious games can be fun, they’re really meant to prepare people to handle all kinds of situations.

Several American dollar store chains have been down bad these days. Dollar Tree, Family Dollar and 99 Cents Only have all recently announced store closures. On the other hand, Dollar General is poised to expand. This has us wondering: What’s going on with the dollar store business model? Has today’s inflationary economy broken it? On the show today, Sandro Steinbach, professor of agribusiness and applied economics at North Dakota State University, explains the economics behind dollar stores, how they keep prices so low, and the impact they have on different communities.

Then, we’ll discuss privacy risks while using popular dating apps. And, what the Australian kids’ show “Bluey” can teach us about the economy.

Here’s everything we talked about:

Want more Make Me Smart in your life? Sigh up for our newsletter at marketplace.org/smarter.

Expand, slow down, contract and recover. Businesses tend to make decisions based on what stage of the business cycle the economy’s in. The problem is, that doesn’t work so well anymore. We’ll get into it. Also: The hot U.S. dollar causes trouble overseas, college grad unemployment is up, and what other food programs can learn from WIC.

Stocks rise; FTC says noncompete clauses suppress wages and innovation; business activity expands at a slower pace; new home sales rise.

EV maker Tesla will release quarterly results after markets close on Tuesday, but the company has been struggling so far this year. Beset by stiff global competition, Tesla has been cutting prices and laying off workers. We’ll set the stage for the big financial release. Plus, high mortgage rates bring about a real estate quandary. And as part of this month’s Econ Extra Credit, we examine how baseball’s Negro Leagues navigated the Great Depression.

UnitedHealth Group is reporting a potentially major hack; GM Q1 revenues rise 7.6%; PepsiCo sales rise 2% amid more price hikes; Tesla investors await details on future plans.

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments today on whether the National Labor Relations Board has to meet a higher burden of proof when intervening on behalf of workers trying to unionize. Starbucks is challenging some of the agency’s powers. We’ll hear more about the case in question. Plus, El Salvador’s unsafe reputation is transforming, but the country is heavily in debt. What are the economic realities. everyday Salvadorans?

From the BBC World Service: The British government’s policy of sending migrants to the African nation of Rwanda is set to become law, but the United Nations and Europe’s highest court have urged the U.K. to drop the proposals. Then, two years since a state of emergency was introduced in El Salvador to try to reduce crime, the Central American country is safer but its economy is still struggling.

A new wearable from tech startup Humane promises to bring an AI assistant to your lapel. It attaches to your jacket, sweater or shirt and operates with voice commands or a digital interface laser projected onto the palm of your hand. It sounds like the stuff of a sci-fi novel, but the reviews so far are not good. The panning of the Ai Pin comes after five years in development, $240 million in funding and partnerships struck with the likes of OpenAI, Microsoft and Salesforce. So, what went wrong? Marketplace’s Meghan McCarty Carino asked Victoria Song, senior reviewer at The Verge, what this device is supposed to be for.

In this episode, Bridget and Ryan answer Aela’s question about college saving accounts and how they work with a special guest: an aspiring tooth fairy hoping to embark on her own college adventure! Together, they’ll learn all about the ways people save or pay for college: savings accounts, 529 plans, scholarships, and student loans during orientation day at Magic University. And they’ll meet some magical (and spooky) creatures along the way.

If your family is interested in learning more about ways to save for college, check out the page for this episode at our website. We’ve got discussion questions and tips for learning more!

This episode is sponsored by Greenlight. Start saving for college with up to 5% on Savings. Get one month free and an extra $10 when you sign up for Greenlight Infinity at greenlight.com/million.

Today, the Biden administration announced plans to implement strict staffing requirements at nursing homes. Kimberly Adams unpacks what this rule may mean for care and the nursing home business model. Plus, guest host Nova Safo returns to discuss the United Auto Workers’ historic victory in the South and the latest troubles at Tesla. And, high-speed rail is finally coming to the U.S.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Many states are making it easier for homeowners to subdivide their single-family lots. But those with space to spare may not know how to develop it. Now, new companies are offering cash for the land. Also: Profits are up, but probably not because of “greedflation,” and federal grants aim to get solar panels on low-income families’ roofs.

Stocks rise; input cost pressure eases, boosting profits; Verizon revenue ticks up; major tech companies report earnings this week.

The money is aimed at low-income and disadvantaged communities, the White House said; Senate to take up Ukraine, Israel aid bill; Boeing, PepsiCo, General Motors and other big names to release quarterly earnings this week; UBS predicts slowing earnings growth at Big Tech companies.

On Monday, the Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments in a case that could determine whether cities can fine or arrest people in homeless encampments. The case comes at a time when higher interest rates and rising insurance costs are making it more expensive to build low-income housing — especially in California. Also: the macroeconomic vibe for the week ahead and Ireland’s big bet on high-tech media production.

For the first time, autoworkers at a foreign-owned plant in a Southern state have voted to unionize. The United Auto Workers union recently saw a landslide victory at a Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee — a win that comes years of failed unionization efforts in the South. We’ll discuss what comes next. Then, we’ll hear the role janitors from El Salvador have played in local labor movements in Houston.

From the BBC World Service: We hear from Ukrainians after a military aid package gets approval in the U.S. House of Representatives. Then, Ecuadorians vote to tighten security in its fight against gang violence, as the government fears that recent violence could damage the country’s tourism. Plus, the hit TV series “Game of Thrones” was filmed in Northern Ireland. We’ll explore the big bet on film, TV and gaming there.

Artificial intelligence has become a big part of medicine — reading images, formulating treatment plans and developing drugs. But a recent investigation by Stat News found that some insurers overrely on an algorithm to make coverage decisions for seniors on Medicare Advantage, a Medicare plan offered by private insurers. Marketplace’s Meghan McCarty Carino spoke with Casey Ross, who co-reported the story. He said an algorithm predicted how long patients needed care and coverage was curtailed to fit that calculation.

The Joe Biden administration announced highly anticipated updates to Title IX. The new rule expands protections for LGBTQ+ students and sexual assault survivors. But it stops short of addressing the rights of trans athletes. Then, we’ll get into the outrageous hoops rich people jump through to get out of paying state taxes. Plus, we’ll weigh in on swapping seats on airplanes and more in a round of Half Full/Half Empty!

Here’s everything we talked about today:

We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Thanks to a strong stock market and record home prices, asset owners are feeling richer, even if it’s only on paper. Today, we get into the “wealth effect” and how it may play out in the presidential election. Also: Higher prices slow Procter & Gamble sales, the “catastrophic” halt to a Baltimore port business, and why companies change the metrics they report to investors.

Stocks close mixed; Chicago Fed president says inflation progress has stalled; American Express profits rise; Netflix to stop reporting quarterly membership numbers.

The message from several officials at the Federal Reserve this week? Don’t expect an interest rate cut anytime soon. And we’ll discuss why there’s a chance that “higher for longer” may not be the end of it. Plus, hospitality businesses in New York City say they’re struggling to fill open jobs. New migrants arriving in the city could help solve that problem — if they get authorized to work.

The designation applies to chemicals long used in consumer goods; Israel’s credit rating gets a downgrade from S&P; France requires shrinkflation warnings; American Express profits jump on more consumer spending.

Bitcoin is trading well above where it did in 2023. Friday or Saturday, something called the “bitcoin halving” is supposed to happen — an event that occurs roughly every four years where the number of new bitcoins that come into circulation drops in half. And it’s a big deal for the whole philosophical premise of bitcoin. We’ll unpack. Also on the show: explaining a big filing day for PACs and understanding China’s “Great Firewall.”

From the BBC World Service: Hospitality businesses in New York City have said quicker work permits for arriving migrants could be key to filling vacancies in the sector – but city authorities are struggling to cope with the number of people arriving. Also: Palau was praised for its marine sanctuary that banned commercial fishing. Now, the government wants to allow more maritime industry to boost the economy.

On this week’s show, the United Kingdom is cracking down on makers of sexually explicit deepfakes. We’ll look at what penalizing the practice could mean for the victims. Then, the creator economy has the attention of millions of subscribers, but also venture capital. Why content creators like Dude Perfect on YouTube and other startups are attracting so much investment right now. But we begin with Amazon. The e-commerce giant’s Just Walk Out technology lets shoppers scan an app when they enter a store so they can leave with their purchases without paying at a register. This week, Amazon said there’s growing interest in the technology among retailers outside its empire. Yet the company is reportedly reducing the use of Just Walk Out in its own brick-and-mortar stores. Marketplace’s Lily Jamali spoke with Natasha Mascarenhas, reporter at The Information, for her take on these stories.

The Biden administration is aiming to triple tariffs on Chinese steel to protect U.S. manufacturers. Sound familiar? We’ll explain who is actually paying the price and what raising tariffs would mean for U.S. workers. We’ll also get into why economic data doesn’t always translate into how voters view the economy, especially in an election year. And, what the buzz over the popular animated series “Bluey” is all about.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap! The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern. We’ll have news, drinks, and play a round of Half Full/Half Empty!

In the 1990s, companies that hoped to change the world using newfangled computer technology took off. Wall Street invested in some of them big time, and their stock market valuations ballooned before they showed evidence of delivering on their promises. Sound familiar? In this episode, a cautionary tale for the era of AI. Plus, film jobs leave L.A. and New York, Netflix doubles down on video game investments and small businesses’ pricing power is kinda lumpy.

Stocks close mixed; housing inventory rises; leading economic indicators index falls; initial jobless claims unchanged.

Doris Tyler has energy well beyond her 80 years. Even after retiring from her career as a music teacher, she remained active in her community — driving to church events, coming up with creative surprises for all her grandchildren. But then one day, she realized her vision was so blurry she couldn’t safely drive. When traditional medical treatment stopped working, Doris’ community came together to help her pay for a brand-new medical technology: stem cell injections. 

If you liked this episode, share it with a friend. And to get even more Uncomfortable,subscribe to our newsletter!

D.R. Horton increased quarterly profit by 27%; TSMC forecasts sales increase of up to 30% on A.I. chip demand; initial jobless claims remain at a low of 212,000; U.S. investigating China’s shipbuilding industry over potential unfair subsidies.