Marketplace All-in-One

The classic IT advice is to back up anything that's valuable, just in case. With computerized voting, the preferred backup is good old-fashioned paper records. And yet, 14 states have systems that either lack paper backups completely or are only partially backed up by paper. So if something goes wrong with the state's voting system on election day — hacking or some malfunction — that means there won't be a foolproof way to make sure votes aren't lost. We talk with J. Alex Halderman, an election security expert at the University of Michigan, about how vulnerable our midterm elections are and why we’re not ready for an all-electronic voting system. (08/22/18)  

(U.S. Edition) President Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort was found guilty of tax and bank fraud yesterday, only minutes after Trump's former lawyer pleaded guilty to breaking campaign finance law. But that's not all, Manafort still faces another trial next month on accusations that he failed to register as a foreign agent. So, what's at stake in that next trial? What does it mean that he was acting as a foreign agent? How many people act as foreign agents? We break it down. Intelligence officials have warned that foreign hackers could once again target state voting systems in the November elections, as they did in 2016. So, states are spending on election security, but is it enough? Also on the show: There’s new interest among Canadians in buying domestic products that’s been sparked by new trade tensions with the United States. But, first some Canadians had to figure out what’s actually "Made in Canada." Today's show is sponsored by Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace) and Michigan Economic Development Corporation (planetm.com). (08/22/18)

As of today the stock market is on a record tear, this is the longest bull market ever at least by one definition. The S&P 500 hit bottom on March 9, 2009 when it closed at just 676. It's been more or less heading upwards ever since and yesterday it closed just shy of 2,900. We'll get into what this means for the economy and what exactly constitutes a bull market. Plus, we talk to Susan Schmidt, senior vice president at Westwood Holdings about how this bull market is different than others. Also, U.S. travelers to the U.K. and the eurozone face two currency hurdles: calculating pound and euro prices in dollars and dealing with the higher cost of goods and services over there. How do they cope? With a little magical thinking.  Today's show is sponsored by Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace) and Michigan Economic Development Corporation (planetm.com). (08/22/18)

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service…Workers stayed home and many businesses were at a standstill as Venezuelans tried to adapt to their new currency. The government says the measures will help combat hyperinflation, but critics say it’ll just make the ongoing economic crisis there worse. Then, new action by Facebook and Twitter to fight misinformation campaigns on social media ahead of the mid-term elections. Afterwards, summertime means peak tourist season, but some say millions are indulging in an unhealthy appetite for travel. We’ll take you to Edinburgh in Scotland where the largest arts festival in the world is happening and residents are finding it harder to deal with the influx of tourists. (08/22/2018)

The Environmental Protection Agency released details today of its plan to replace the Obama-era rules governing carbon emissions from power plants. This proposal gives a lot of concessions to the coal industry and is a step toward ending what the president calls the "war on coal." But even if this plan makes it through the long, dirty fight to become law, how much difference can regulatory changes make to the coal industry in the face of rapidly evolving market forces? Also on today's show: You guessed it, tariffs. We get insight on steel tariffs from industry insiders. Later in the show, we talk about immigration south of the border. Many migrants cross through Mexico hoping to enter the United States, but Mexico’s incoming president has a plan to curb the flow. 

(Markets Edition) More than 2 million people get government aid to help pay rent through Section 8 housing, or the Housing Choice Voucher program. But new research is showing that landlords are making the choice to refuse most of those vouchers. The Department of Housing and Urban Development is working on a solution – a task force designed to get more landlords on board with the program. Also, we look at how tomorrow signals the longest bull run ever ... but when is the drop going to come? Then we look at what companies that go public, and how some of them are adapting strategies dating back to the dot-com boom to make post-IPO money. Today’s show is sponsored by Alliance For Lifetime Income (retireyourrisk.org/advisors) and Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace). (08/21/2018) 

(U.S. Edition) President Trump is back on the attack against Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell, saying he's "not thrilled" with the Fed for boosting interest rates during an interview with Reuters. He also took time to toss some criticism at China mere days before trade talks are supposed to resume in Washington. Then, we take a look at the rise of used car prices, which have grown a little more than 5 percent from the previous year in July, according to data from Cox Automotive. Also, we look at the fiscal relationship between domain names and countries, like Israel.com or Korea.com, which have sold for millions. The former owner of France.com is suing France – the whole country – after it seized his domain name. Today’s show is sponsored by Alliance For Lifetime Income (retireyourrisk.org/advisors) and Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace). (08/21/2018) 

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … Chinese and American officials are meeting in Washington today to discuss the ongoing trade spat – and overnight President Trump again ramped up pressure saying China is “absolutely” manipulating its currency. But what exactly does that mean, and what implications could it have on the souring relationship between the world’s two biggest economies?  Afterwards, it’s not just the U.S. and China caught up in a trade spat – most Asian economies are intricately linked to China through their supply chains. What hurts Beijing can also hurt other nations like South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore. Today’s show is sponsored by Alliance For Lifetime Income (retireyourrisk.org/advisors) and Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace). (08/21/2018)

Girl Scouts CEO Sylvia Acevedo worked at NASA and IBM before she took the top job at Girl Scout headquarters. Under her leadership, the organization has unveiled a round of STEM merit badges, including new ones for cybersecurity, robotics and mechanical engineering. These come at a time when the Girl Scouts face a shrinking membership. Guest host Lizzie O'Leary talks to Acevedo about whether the badges make the Girl Scouts more relevant and if they'll help girls gain marketable skills. (08/21/18)  

We talked with Civil COO Lillian Ruiz about the new, blockchain-powered news service.

This morning, the U.S. Trade Representative opened six — yup, six — days of public hearings into President Donald Trump's proposed tariffs on Chinese imports. The hearings are to let companies and trade groups affected by those tariffs weigh in, and we talk to two experts who are testifying. Today in Elon Musk news: JPMorgan Chase lowered the target price on Tesla’s stock. But what exactly is a target price, and what happens when analysts change them? We have answers. Also on the show, we talk to actress and director Regina King about her career in Hollywood. (08/20/18)

(Markets Edition) Jackson Hole in Wyoming will be hosting the annual gathering of the Federal Reserve this week, where lots and lots of economic data is presented and discussed. Fed chairman Jerome Powell is set to deliver a speech on Friday, which will be a highlight for bankers and investors. Making sense of it all is Macro Policy Perspective founder Julia Coronado, who spoke with us. Then, we check in on the southern India state of Kerala, where hundreds have died from flooding caused by monsoon rains. Roughly 800,000 people have been displaced, and the area's major airport has also been flooded. Anu Anand of the BBC gave us an update. Also, we examine the resurgence of rosé wine in the U.S., which goes against wine buffs' perception of rosé as a cheap afterthought. Today's show is sponsored by Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace) and Michigan Economic Development Corporation (planetm.com). (08/20/2018)

(U.S. Edition) Today, Washington will be host to hundreds of companies testifying about the Trump administration's plan to impose roughly $200 billion more in tariffs on goods from China. Most economists are seeing this as a bad move for the nation's economy, according to a survey from the National Association for Business Economics. Also, commuters from New Jersey heading into to new are bracing for hard times as this morning marks the start of construction-related lane closures heading into the Lincoln Tunnel. During rush hour, about 10,000 cars an hour move through the tunnel. Then, we check in on the United States' place in the worldwide tech race. An expert shares how other countries have pulled ahead. Today's show is sponsored by Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace) and Michigan Economic Development Corporation (planetm.com).

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … Greece exits its third bailout today, but not everyone is celebrating 10 years after a financial crisis brought the country to its knees. Then, in Venezuela, inflation could reach 1 million percent by the end of the year as residents deal with sky-high inflation and economic hardship. Today, the country is taking five zeros off its currency in an effort to alleviate some of the pain. Afterwards, efforts to reduce plastic pollution are underway in many parts of the globe, but in Australia, some groups have been experiencing bag rage. Today's show is sponsored by Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace) and Michigan Economic Development Corporation (planetm.com). (08/20/2018) 

Few Chinese citizens have credit cards or any sort of credit history. But the country has started incorporating more credit into its economy and culture, and the government is working on a way to measure creditworthiness for both businesses and individuals. Its plan? A social credit score. The idea is akin to the American FICO system in that it's a financial record of whether you paid your bills or traffic tickets. But the Chinese government is also tracking social behaviors — like whether you jaywalk or refuse to visit your elderly parents — and it's figuring out how to incorporate those into your score. Amy Choi talked with Marketplace China correspondent Jennifer Pak about how the process for calculating social credits is taking shape.  (08/20/18)