Erika Soderstrom

Associate Producer

Erika works with a group of extraordinary producers to chase business and economic stories heard on “Marketplace Morning Report.”

Latest from Erika Soderstrom

Mar 21, 2022
Europe’s leaders are discussing a ban on Russian oil, but how far can that go?
In advance of President Biden’s trip to Europe, foreign ministers are meeting today to begin discussion of something many would rather avoid – an embargo of Russian oil. It’s a tricky proposition, as Europe is much more reliant on Russian oil than the United States. The BBC reports on a Boeing plane crash in China as well as the Russian stock exchange reopening. We look into how the removal of medical collection debt from credit reports could affect consumers.
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Mar 21, 2022
Plane carrying 132 people crashes in China
STR/AFP via Getty Images
From the BBC World Service: The Boeing 737 was being flown by China Eastern, one of the biggest state-owned carriers and one of the largest airlines in Asia. The last large-scale fatal air crash in China was in 2010. Plus, Hong Kong will begin easing some of the world’s tightest COVID-19 restrictions, including flight bans, starting next month. And, the U.K. is planning for a greener, more diverse energy mix by blending hydrogen into its gas network.
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Mar 18, 2022
Could it be time for another COVID booster shot? Vaccine makers are calling for it.
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Moderna is asking the Food and Drug Administration for emergency authorization of a second COVID booster shot. Pfizer also asked for authorization of a second shot earlier this week, although it would be for a more narrow range of the population. Christopher Low is here to deliver insights on today’s market activity. We also take a snapshot of the existing homes market as mortgage rates climb.
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Mar 18, 2022
Russia-Ukraine war adds another dimension to market volatility
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The daily ups and downs of financial markets tell us what bets market participants are placing on the future. But right now, markets are dealing with a lot of uncertainty caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – and they are reacting accordingly. India is buying discounted Russian oil, and the U.S. and European countries have urged India to spurn Russia to no avail. The BBC reports on cryptocurrency fraud in Australia, and how Meta could be involved.
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Mar 18, 2022
Russia won’t live in an “American saloon,” says foreign minister
From the BBC World Service: one of President Putin’s most reliable spokesmen, the foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, has been speaking on Russian television today about efforts to keep the economy on track in spite of Western sanctions. The war in Ukraine is wreaking havoc on supply chains, and not just in Europe. The BBC’s Monica Miller looks at how it’s impacting businesses in Singapore. Australia launches legal action against Facebook’s parent company Meta, alleging it allowed scam ads to target users with fake celebrity endorsements for cryptocurrencies.
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Mar 17, 2022
Another leftover symptom of the pandemic? Online buying trends.
Americans spent $1.7 trillion shopping online since the pandemic began, according to new data from Adobe. That’s a lot more than they spent in the two years before the pandemic. It looks like it’ll be even more in 2022. We speak to the BBC’s Victoria Craig about her chat with the Lithuanian president. Diane Swonk shares market insight following the Fed’s decision to raise interest rates.
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Mar 17, 2022
Let’s try to grab a hold of the “hot hand” phenomenon
It’s time for March Madness, and whether it’s on a basketball court or investing, people can sometimes get on a roll, where it’s deemed they have the “hot hand.” There have actually been studies about this, and we decipher the history of the hot hand with senior economics contributor Chris Farrell. The Federal Reserve has raised interest rates for the first time since 2018, and more is coming. The BBC looks into what a ban on Russian energy would look like for Germany.
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Mar 17, 2022
Ukraine’s president urges Germany to put morals before economic interests
Hannibal Hanschke/Getty Images
From the BBC World Service: But with fears growing that the war in Ukraine could push Germany into economic recession and stoke soaring inflation, it might be difficult for Germany to meet the Ukranian president’s demands. Plus, nearly 2 million people have fled the war in Ukraine, seeking refuge. We hear from President Gitanas Nausėda of Lithuania, whose country is seeing an increasing number of people looking for safety and security.
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Mar 17, 2022
Is the “hot hand” phenomenon all in our heads?
Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images
From basketball to investing, does success beget success?
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Mar 16, 2022
China stocks rebound while Russia, Ukraine continue imprinting on markets
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Stock prices in China bounced back after a sudden collapse earlier in the week. Marketplace’s China correspondent Jennifer Pak drops in for more detail. As crude oil prices have dropped and the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues, the markets appear to be having a bit of a moment, as Susan Schmidt helps explain to us. The Federal Reserve nominee pool just got shorter as Sarah Bloom Raskin bows out of the running.
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