Aaron Schrank

Latest Stories (155)

Trump is blocking appointments of WTO judges. Here’s why

Jun 1, 2018
More of the tariff skirmishes between the U.S. and China, the EU, Mexico, Canada, and other countries are likely to end up at the World Trade Organization. That’s because the WTO is supposed to help mediate trade battles. The problem is, President Donald Trump has been working to undermine the WTO’s authority by vetoing all […]

Here’s why this conglomerate snapped up Pret A Manger

May 30, 2018
Maybe you’ve never heard of the international food conglomerate JAB. But you probably consume some of its products, like Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Panera Bread and Peet’s Coffee. JAB is a Luxembourg-based holding company run by a secretive German billionaire family. And it’s making quite an impression on the food and beverage business lately. Back in […]

Consumers are hitting the roads this vacation season, but higher gas prices may influence how far they go

May 28, 2018
AAA estimates more than 36 million of us hit the road over the Memorial Day weekend.  That’s nearly a five percent increase from last year at the same time. And, that’s in spite of higher prices for gas at the pump. Higher gas prices may not keep people off the roads as this vacation season […]

Qatar, Uber, Exelon are fellow travelers in funding game night rides home on D.C. Metro

May 24, 2018
The Washington Capitals are headed to the Stanley Cup finals and the team’s fans have sponsors to help them catch a ride home. Because Washington, D.C.’s metro system usually shuts down at 11:30 pm, some interesting public-private partnerships are evolving to fund late night service. Click the audio player above to hear the full story. 

Rising credit card delinquency seen as tied to climbing interest rates

May 22, 2018
U.S. household debt hit a record $13.2 trillion in the first quarter of 2018, but Americans seem to be handling it okay. Consumer debt levels are stabilizing, according to The New York Fed’s quarterly household debt report. But rising interest rates seem to be squeezing household finances in at least one area: credit card debt. […]

Trump’s ZTE turnabout

May 14, 2018
The Chinese electronics manufacturer ZTE Corp. was on the brink of collapse after the U.S. government punished it last month for breaking American sanctions against Iran and North Korea. But in a sudden Twitter twist President Donald Trump says he’s now working to save ZTE.  Click the audio player above to hear the full story. 

Auto execs are at the White House to talk fuel rules

May 11, 2018
President Donald Trump has promised to roll back fuel efficiency rules, but there is still no firm decision. Click the audio player above to hear the full story. 

Media powerhouses go after big ad dollars for the upcoming TV season

May 8, 2018
Two of the big media companies are reporting earnings this week. The Walt Disney Co. reports after the close of the bell today and 21st Century Fox’s earnings report is expected tomorrow . That means plenty of talk about Disney’s recent box office successes and its pending acquisition of Fox’s entertainment assets. But next week, […]

Wall Street nervous? No apologies from Elon Musk

May 3, 2018
Tesla stocks fell 8 percent when the market opened today following the company’s earnings call May 2. Elon Musk says Tesla will be a year late on its promise to deliver 5,000 Model 3 cars per week. Right now Tesla has more than 450,000 customers still waiting for their Model 3s. Click the audio player above to […]

Why did the Avengers partner with a mortgage lender?

Apr 27, 2018
App-based lenders, like Rocket Mortgage, are getting more and more powerful.