Alex Schroeder

Producer

Alex is a producer for the “Marketplace Morning Report.” He's based in Queens, New York. Alex joined Marketplace in 2020, working as MMR's digital producer. After a little over a year, he became the show's overnight producer, getting up far before the crack of dawn to put together the day's newscasts with the host and team. Now, he works daylight hours, preparing interviews for the following morning and producing long-term specials and series. Before Marketplace, Alex worked on several national public radio shows produced out of WBUR in Boston. He was both a radio and digital producer with “On Point,” “Here & Now” and “Only a Game.” Alex also worked at The Boston Globe after graduating from Tufts University. Alex's interests outside of work tend to fall into one of two categories: film or soccer. (Come on Arsenal!) He’s always looking for ways to cover the economics of entertainment and sports on the “Marketplace Morning Report.”

Latest from Alex Schroeder

May 10, 2022
Big Tech is taking big hits as Wall Street enters a sixth week of uncertainty
Stan Honda/AFP via Getty Images
We consult Lindsey Piegza of Stifel as the markets, especially the tech-filled Nasdaq, are reeling from a selloff that’s been going on for five weeks. What’s going on? Also, we look into why oil appears to be cheaper, but not the retail gasoline we’re buying at the pump. And, banks are keeping an eye out for signs of future loan defaults as consumer credit is on the rise.
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May 10, 2022
Cost of living to become focus of the State Opening of U.K. Parliament
BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images
From the BBC World Service: Prince Charles is to read the Queen’s Speech on her behalf for the first time, after the 96-year-old monarch pulled out due to mobility problems. Plus, Sri Lanka’s prime minister resigns after months of sometimes violent protests over his handling of the country’s worst economic crisis in history.
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May 10, 2022
The challenges of farming in drought-ridden California’s Central Valley
California is entering its third year of drought, and that has farmers in the state’s Central Valley concerned about an already burdened food system. The Central Valley produces about a quarter of the food in the United States. We spoke to a farmer about the obstacles he faces. How is Wall Street is recovering after weeks of tech stocks taking a beating? On the heels of the Kentucky Derby’s conclusion over the weekend, we look into the economics behind investing in racehorses.
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May 9, 2022
Immigration’s role in the tight U.S. labor market
John Moore/Getty Images
A sharp decline in immigration to the U.S. could be contributing to the country’s labor shortage. According to research from economists at the University of California, Davis, the country had 2 million fewer working-age immigrants at the end of 2021 than it would have had if pre-pandemic immigration trends had continued. We spoke to Marketplace senior economics contributor Chris Farrell about the consequences of the decline in immigration. Plus, we talk to Julia Coronado, founder of MacroPolicy Perspectives, about what’s driving the latest market volatility. And, how far does the U.S. economy have to go before it makes up all of the jobs that were lost to the pandemic?
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May 9, 2022
Abortion rights groups are mobilizing ahead of the 2022 midterm elections
Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
Abortion rights groups had already planned to ramp up spending ahead of the 2022 midterm elections. And that was before the leak of the draft Supreme Court opinion on abortion, which could now further change things. We spoke to Mary Ziegler, a visiting professor at Harvard Law School, about the future of these lobbying for abortion rights and anti-abortion groups. Plus, the White House unveiled a plan this morning to connect more Americans to high-speed internet as part of the bipartisan infrastructure law.
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May 9, 2022
As Russia marks WWII “Victory Day,” how is its economy doing?
MIKHAIL METZEL/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images
From the BBC World Service: The annual event serves as a reminder of the 27 million Soviet citizens who died during World War II. President Putin took the opportunity to justify his invasion of Ukraine, which is squeezing the finances of ordinary Russians. Plus, China’s export growth is slowing. And, as people in the Philippines cast their votes, we hear about the economic challenges facing the country’s next President.
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May 6, 2022
Another month, another strong hiring report
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images
The unemployment rate remained unchanged, though. Also, wages are still going up but not quite as fast as they have been, and not as fast as prices are rising. We talked to Christopher Low, Chief Economist at FHN Financial, about what to make of today’s numbers. Plus, Boeing announced it is moving its headquarters from Chicago to Arlington, VA. New York Times art critic Blake Gopnik tells us his thoughts on the sale of a painting by Andy Warhol featuring Marilyn Monroe, which will be sold at auction soon.
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May 6, 2022
Employers continue to face pressure to raise wages in a tight labor market
Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images
Workers are continuing to flex their bargaining power in a tight labor market. Average hourly earnings were up 5.6% in March, compared to a year ago. Employers are giving raises and boosting starting salaries to retain and attract workers. Plus, Fidelity Investments’ plan to allow investors to invest in cryptocurrency as part of retirement accounts is facing questions from lawmakers, including Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. Businesses that provide medication abortions are facing new demand and challenges amid the leaked draft of the Supreme Court opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade.
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May 6, 2022
Hungary calls Russian oil ban an economic “atomic bomb”
ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP via Getty Images
From the BBC World Service: The Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban vowed to veto current EU proposals to phase out imports of Russian oil, saying they would be devastating to Eastern European countries which rely heavily on the fuel. Plus, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says a sixth sanctions package against Russia will go ahead, even if it takes longer than expected. And, we visit a German oil refinery that’s still very reliant on Russian oil.
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May 5, 2022
TurboTax parent company to settle over deceptive advertising claims
(Kimberly White/Getty Images for TurboTax)
The company behind TurboTax has agreed to pay restitution to millions of customers who used its tax preparation software. This is to settle allegations that Intuit used deceptive marketing tactics to charge people who should have been able to file their taxes for free. Marketplace’s Nova Safo has the latest details. Also, Diane Swonk, chief economist at the tax and advisory firm Grant Thornton, walks us through the state of the labor market and the implications of the Fed’s half point rate hike yesterday. Plus, what happens when a country’s central bank does not use higher interest rates to rein in inflation? We have an example from Turkey, where consumer prices are up nearly 70% in a year. And, hear how Allentown, Pennsylvania, at the heart of the Rust Belt has started attracting new manufacturing businesses.
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