Latest from James Graham

• Apr 18, 2023

  Americans are “revenge dining”

  

  Going out to eat is in right now. Spending at restaurants and bars was up 13% in March, compared to a year ago, according to the Census Department. That’s even as prices for meals outside the home kept rising and groceries got cheaper. Plus, there’s optimism that things are starting to turn in the housing market. We might see more buyers in the market going forward, but maybe not first-time buyers. And, the number of people in the U.S. choosing cremation over a casket burial is on the rise. How funeral homes are adapting.

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• Apr 18, 2023

  China’s economy shakes off COVID curbs

  

  From the BBC World Service: China’s economy rebounded by more than expected in the first three months of the year after the country dropped its strict COVID restrictions. What’s been driving the growth? And what does a recovery mean for the rest of the world? Plus, Apple opens its first retail store in India in a move which reflects its growing presence in the country. And, what would you pay for a T. rex skeleton? One’s up at auction in Switzerland for at least $5 million.

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• Apr 17, 2023

  Keep an eye on those company results starting to trickle in

  

  We got results from some of the bigger banks on Friday last week. This week we’ll hear from more banks like Bank of America and Morgan Stanley. This will give us a better picture of how interest rate increases are hitting bottom lines, but also the abilities of consumers and businesses to repay loans. Also today on the show: how government subsidies for more manufacturing production in the U.S. can backfire. We hear from one economist who says there are better ways to build resilient supply chains, decrease inequality and prepare for the clean energy transition.

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• Apr 17, 2023

  Debt ceiling fight resumes with House back in session

  

  Today House Speaker Kevin McCarthy will give a speech at the New York Stock Exchange outlining his case for cutting spending in return for raising the debt limit. Plus, negotiations in Europe over Poland’s ban on imports of grain and other agriculture products. It’s yet another economic consequence of Russia’s war on Ukraine. And, the case for keeping a more globalized economy intact from Adam Posen of the Peterson Institute for International Economics. He says that shoring up supply chains, addressing concerns about China and fighting inequality are all worthy causes, but that more protectionist economic policy is not the answer.

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• Apr 17, 2023

  China counts the cost of construction as it writes off billions of dollars

  

  From the BBC World Service: China has written off or renegotiated $76 billion worth of borrowing in the last 18 months that had been issued as part of its huge infrastructure project. Louise Loo, senior economist at Oxford Economics, tell us what this means for China moving forward. Plus, the BBC’s Adam Easton explains why Poland has placed a temporary ban on Ukrainian grain exports. And, can you buy happiness? One gaming giant hopes so as they launch a takeover for the company that makes Angry Birds.

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• Apr 14, 2023

  It’s been a weird week of conflicting economic signals

  

  It’s been a weird week for economy watchers. Amid seemingly contradictory signals, including a recession prediction from the Fed that came amid positive inflation data, we consult Christopher Low, chief economist at FHN Financial, about what to make of the bevy of economic information we got in the last few days. And, the BBC’s Leanna Byrne reports from Northern Ireland about the area’s economic ties with the United States in the wake of President Biden’s visit there. 

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• Apr 14, 2023

  Need financial advice? Some are asking AI — with mixed results

  

  The AI chatbot takeover incentivized people to ask many questions normally reserved for human experts, and financial advice is no exception. But, according to professionals working in the industry, there are clear limits on what AI can do — and what consumers should expect. Plus, recently-released data on bank profits showed a significant outflow of money from bank deposits into more “secure” locations. And, why sticker prices for new cars are finally coming down after an easing of supply chain troubles. 

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• Apr 14, 2023

  Biden says U.S. investment could be coming to Northern Ireland

  

  From the BBC World Service: President Biden, who visited Northern Ireland this week, said U.S. firms are willing to pump ‘billions of dollars’ of cash into the Northern Ireland economy if there’s more political stability there. And, silver prices are at a year-long high — so what’s going on?

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• Apr 13, 2023

  The Fed now says it expects a recession. Does that change anything?

  

  Well, that’s a bummer: the Fed’s minutes released yesterday indicate that central bankers believe there will be a mild recession by the end of the year. While it’s not particularly surprising, it does dampen recent optimism surrounding lower-than-expected inflation data released this week. KPMG Chief Economist Diane Swonk helps us dissect what’s in the minutes. Plus, Walmart announced it is closing half of its stores in Chicago due to low profitability — we look at how big box retailers tend to struggle in cities. And, Texas is looking to retool its power grid to add safeguards against power outages as seen during recent extreme weather events. 

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• Apr 13, 2023

  How a historical housing scandal resonates 50 years later

  

  More than 50 years ago, a nationwide housing scandal involving predatory real-estate speculators and the Federal Housing Administration hastened the decline of many urban centers in cities like Detroit, Philadelphia, and New York City. Sunset Park, a neighborhood of Brooklyn, was among those hit particularly hard. We traveled to there with Majora Carter, a Bronx-based urban revitalization specialist, to explore the scandal and its enduring legacy. And, a federal appeals court has maintained access to an abortion drug previously blocked by a Texas lower court judge.

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