Marketplace All-in-One

One factor to consider in all this grocery merger talk? The presence of Walmart. Elsewhere, Texas is the jumping-off point for a tale of how states are trying to “claw back” unemployment benefits – and how people are reacting to it.

From the BBC World Service: The Bank of England’s short-term rescue plan to stabilize the government debt market ends today, and it appears to have worked. But while bond yields have fallen, the political drama has continued with Prime Minister Liz Truss expected to backtrack on her plans for unfunded tax cuts. Plus, with China’s President Xi Xinping in line for an historic third term at the Communist Party Congress, we hear from an area in the north of the country said to have been lifted out of poverty.

Platform- or app-based gig work has seen its share of ups and downs in recent years, and this week brought a new twist. The U.S. Department of Labor proposed a rule that would push companies to classify many gig workers as employees — with all the rights and benefits that entails. Platforms like Uber, Lyft and DoorDash have pushed to keep workers independent contractors, saying it’s essential to their business models. So where could the gig economy go from here? Marketplace’s Meghan McCarty Carino spoke with Arun Sundararajan, a business professor at New York University, who explained that gig work is now part of the fabric of our economy and how it should change to meet modern demands.

Despite the latest inflation numbers, the stock market had a great day today. We even got to play the happy, jazzy music on “Marketplace.” But that doesn’t mean we’re out of bear market territory. We’ll explain. Plus, guest host Samantha Fields talks about the big changes to a popular student loan program. (No, not President Biden’s student debt relief.) And, tastier beer? Here’s everything we talked about today: “Dow closes 800 points higher after a historic one-day turnaround” from CNBC “Bank of England Insists Bond Buying Will End Friday” from The Wall Street Journal “Social Security recipients to get their biggest cost-of-living raise in over 40 years” from Marketplace “Eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness Has Changed Temporarily. Here’s What It Means For Borrowers” from the U.S. Government Accountability Office Public Service Loan Forgiveness from the Institute of Student Loan Advisors “Scientists Just Figured Out a Way to Make Beer Taste Even Better” from Science Alert “I tried Be My Eyes, the popular app that pairs blind people with helpers” from The Guardian If you’ve got a question for the hosts, call us and leave us a voicemail. Our number is 508-U-B-SMART. You can also send an email to makemesmart@marketplace.org

Core inflation registered 6.6% in September on a yearly basis. But just how much pain you feel paying your bills depends on who you are and what those bills are for. In today’s show, a look at why the headline inflation figure is probably different from the inflation you feel. Plus, the factors behind sky-high airfares, the problem-solving prowess of women in leadership and the hurdles to correcting unequal federal policies.

What do dried apple slices, bear spray and divorce debt have to do with the Jan. 6 insurrection? You’ll find out in this episode. When Stewart Rhodes launched the alt-right militia group the Oath Keepers, his wife, Tasha Adams, hoped that this just might be the key to a better life for their family. And right away, the Oath Keepers started attracting a lot of attention … and money. Stewart was finally getting the following and admiration he’d always told his family that he deserved. But instead of providing them with stable support, Stewart used his militia to further isolate and control Tasha and their six children … until they reached a breaking point. This episode was reported and produced by Reema Khrais and Hannah Harris Green, edited by Karen Duffin and engineered by Drew Jostad.

We talk more inflation with Diane Swonk of KPMG following consumer price index numbers coming in today. The IMF has changed its outlook for global economic growth, and it’s not looking good for China. We look into how a Florida transit authority is dealing with a bus driver shortage.

The agency says the oil cartel’s move to cut production could push the world economy into recession. Other states have taken on the entity of dark money – and actually secured some wins. We learn about them in the fourth installment of our series.

From the BBC World Service: One in three gas stations in France is struggling for supplies, resulting in long queues. Ongoing talks between unions and workers have failed so far to yield agreement. Plus, the BBC has learned finance ministers from major world economies gathered at the International Monetary Fund in Washington are warning against some of the U.K.’s unfunded tax cuts. And, India’s e-commerce companies are seeing strong demand come back this festive season.

It sounds like the stuff of science fiction, but now it’s just science. Brain-computer interfaces are making it possible for people and other sentient creatures to control technology with their brains. Last year, Neuralink, the brain device company owned by Elon Musk, claimed it had trained a monkey to play the video game Pong using this technology. Now there are a number of private companies and academic researchers trying to improve this technology for broader use. AE Studio, a software development firm, works in this space. “Marketplace Tech” producer Daniel Shin recently visited its offices in Venice Beach, a neighborhood in Los Angeles, to test out a fun experiment — playing a video game with just his brain.

Galveston, Texas, was all but wiped out when a Category 4 storm hit the port city in 1900. Thousands died, surviving residents fled and Houston became the economic center of the region. One of our listeners wants to know: Could that be the future of other coastal cities? We’ll talk about it on this Whaddya Wanna Know Wednesday. Plus: What are i bonds, and where’d the arugula go? “What are i bonds and should you invest in them?” from Marketplace “Grocery Store Shortages Are Back. Here’s Why.” from Eater “‘There’s just not enough water’: California drought hits grocery stores” from Axios “What’s With the Surge in Mortgage Rates?” from NerdWallet “The Tempest At Galveston: ‘We Knew There Was A Storm Coming, But We Had No Idea’” from NPR “Introducing ‘How We Survive Season 2: Saving Miami’” from Marketplace If you’ve got a question about the economy, business or technology, let us know. We’re at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a message at 508-U-B-SMART.

A recent proposal by the Joe Biden administration could reclassify gig workers as employees rather than independent contractors and expand benefits and protections for millions of Americans. Today, a look at what the move would mean for workers and companies. Also, big but slowing price increases for producers, a dramatic cooling in the mortgage business and a firsthand account of Hurricane Ian’s damage near Fort Myers, Florida.

The markets are trying to recover from some losses in the past week, but what’s happening over in Britain isn’t helping. We have an instance where COLA will end up being good for people on Social Security. More HBCUs are cashing in on pitting their football teams against big-time programs.

There’s the mythical version of Miami, the version that’s all about wealth and glamour and a never-ending party on the beach. And then there’s the real Miami, a deeply unequal place that could eventually be swallowed up by the Atlantic Ocean because of glaciers melting halfway around the world. Miami has been called the most vulnerable coastal city in the world because of climate change. South Florida could be one of the first places in the United States to see true devastation wrought by the climate crisis, devastation that threatens its very existence. This season, we’re asking: How will South Florida survive sea-level rise?

It’s the third installment of our series on dark money in Arizona politics. This time, we get a view from the volunteers. Also, a freight rail strike might be back on the table.