Marketplace

When it comes to managing international trade deals and relationships, the Biden administration has been tireless in 2022. Today, we’re joined by U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai to hear about achievements, challenges and why trade matters to everybody in this economy. Plus, the Bank of Japan hints about the end of ultralow interest rates, and a new Ford electric truck plant reshapes infrastructure in west Tennessee.

Prominent economist Mohamed El-Erian was among the early critics of the Federal Reserve for its failure to raise interest rates in 2021. Today, he joins the program to discuss where he thinks the Fed should go from here, what it’ll take to regain credibility and how realistic the 2% inflation target is. Plus, a potential consumer spending pullback, a look at electric vehicle subsidies and a trip to a particularly festive block in Baltimore.

Inventory management is a problem that has plagued many businesses recently, and retail inventories are up 17% since last year. On today’s program, why businesses just can’t seem to get it right and what it means for consumers. Also, homebuilder confidence continues to slide, businesses in the U.K. trial a four-day workweek and preppy-style clothing has trend-defying staying power.

With the increase in hate speech on Twitter, brands are facing a dilemma: stay and potentially tarnish their image or leave behind an audience they’ve spent time and resources building. In today’s episode, navigating the digital landscape in the Elon era. Plus, natural gas prices surprisingly fall in Europe, the “Avatar” sequel hits theaters in China and supply chain kinks are a recipe for school lunch confusion.  

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has reiterated the importance of the central bank’s 2% inflation target. But why is 2% the magic number? Today, we’ll take a closer look at where that figure came from and what trade-offs are necessary to reach it. Plus, urban downtowns plan for fewer workers, rent prices dip and economics faces a second #MeToo moment.

The Federal Reserve upped its key interest rate by half a percentage point today, a smaller move than the previous four. Today, we’ll unpack what consumers can expect from the Fed going forward and how the slowing pace of rate increases will ripple through the economy. Then, the health impact of antibiotics overuse and, from Marketplace’s “How We Survive” series, what happens when climate change forces communities to resettle?

Following the implosion of crypto exchange FTX and the arrest of its former CEO, Sam Bankman-Fried, crypto seems to be losing its mojo. Is this just a setback for crypto or is it the beginning of the end? Plus, the factors driving the inflation slowdown, a history of the Fed’s split with the Treasury, and the complicated combination of remote work and holiday family time.

Nearly 40% of workers wouldn’t, according to a new survey. The pandemic dramatically shifted people’s relationships to and feelings about work. In this episode, a look at bleak workplace attitudes and what’s driving them. Plus, what surging metal prices mean for the global economy, how a slowing housing market affects city taxes, and why low levels on the Mississippi River are problematic for agricultural supply chains.

President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the G-20 summit today. Tariffs and other restrictions have hampered the already complex relationship between the two countries. Today, we outline the economic stakes of their conversation. Plus, a shortage of electrical transformers frustrates utility companies, the failure of FTX provides a painful lesson for cryptocurrency investors and retailers hope for predictability this holiday season.

When Elon Musk purchased Twitter, he borrowed billions. Now, the banks that helped finance that purchase are trying to offload those loans, but potential buyers are offering a sharply lower price of 60 cents on the dollar. Investors are wary of the risk after Musk’s first weeks as Twitter CEO. Also in today’s episode, a look back at this week’s economic data, a review of Amazon’s cost-cutting strategy and a warning for buyers in the crypto-sphere.

October’s consumer price index contains a glimmer of hope. Though prices are still on the rise, inflation may finally be starting to moderate. On today’s show, what to make of one month’s worth of mildly good news. Also on the program: a computer chip oversupply, a pulse check of the real estate market and a lab trying to disaster-proof buildings.

After rapid growth during the pandemic stalled, Meta announced that it’s slashing 13% of its workforce. It’s not the only company cutting staff and grappling with dashed expectations. Today, we’ll interrogate the sustainability of the more-is-more approach to corporate growth and what it means for the folks being laid off. Then, a crypto exchange crash, inflation’s impact on medical insurance and a firsthand account of identity theft.

It can be overwhelming to take stock of everything — and everyone — lost during the pandemic. But how do you quantify the time lost? For millennials, the sequestered years are ones traditionally marked by major life events, like marriage or having children. Today, we’ll tally the costs. Plus, small-business owners feel cautious about the economy, AMC Theatres strikes a deal with Zoom and trade schools see enrollment spikes.  

Tech giants Twitter, Stripe and Lyft slashed jobs last week, and Meta will reportedly follow suit. It’s a reversal of the sector’s pandemic hiring spree and could be an indicator of wider cuts across the economy. Plus, conservative groups spend big on school board elections, Florida’s cultural institutions try to recover after Hurricane Ian, and a Supreme Court case threatens the Indian Child Welfare Act.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell received some welcome news in today’s jobs report: Wage growth is slowing a tad. The gains certainly aren’t as low as the Fed is hoping for, but the moderation could be a hint that the job market is starting to cool off. Plus, Twitter provides an example of how not to go about layoffs, and YouTube’s copyright tool sparks frustration for musicians.