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Jo Critcher

Latest from Jo Critcher

  • FDIC hints at who will end up paying for recent bank rescues
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    The chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation said yesterday in remarks to the House Financial Services Committee that the agency’s board would vote in June on a new bank assessment fee to make up for the money spent in the rescues of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank. We look at the details. Plus, China has issued warnings to the U.S. over its brief hosting of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen. And, we talk to Sophie Pedder, The Economist’s Paris bureau chief, about what’s been going on in France amid unrest over the government’s pension reforms. 

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  • Why return-free tax filing isn’t — but probably should be — a thing in the U.S.
    Tim Boyle/Getty Images

    Tax season is upon us, and that means an age-old debate is resurfacing amongst accounting nerds far and wide — why do Americans still have to file tax returns? Another simpler, and arguably better, system called return-free filing is used across the world. Chris Farrell walks us through the potential benefits of adopting such a system in the U.S. Plus, why plateauing mortgage rates are leading to more applications from would-be homebuyers. And, a look at some of the rule changes coming to Major League Baseball as teams start playing regular season games today.  

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  • How U.S. green subsidies are forcing other nations to act

    From the BBC World Service: When President Biden unveiled the Inflation Reduction Act last summer, the subsidies on offer turned heads around the world. Today the UK is unveiling its plans for a net-zero economy, and the European Union already has its Net Zero Industry Act. But do the policies cut the mustard with business? Plus, The Guardian newspaper has faced up to the slavery links of its founder. It now plans to invest around $12 million over the next decade in a program of restorative justice.

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  • Bank supervisors under bipartisan fire from Senators
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    Lawmakers on Senate Banking Committee yesterday grilled bank supervisors and other government financial regulators over alleged failures in oversight leading up to the recent bank collapses. Karen Petrou, managing partner at Federal Financial Analytics, walks us through what’s been said so far — and what could be in store for today’s hearing. Plus, housing prices remain all too high for many people, but recent data suggest a tapering in the rate of rent inflation. And, a look at the economic and environmental effects of having a lead smelting plant in the Los Angeles area, one of the few remaining in the country. 

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  • How do you improve hybrid work culture? Empathy, for starters
    Grady Reese/Getty Images

    As the trend of fully-remote work ebbs and employers push to bring workers back into offices, there’s been an increasing focus on what makes a positive and productive workplace — or a company’s “culture”. We check in with consultant Keith Ferrazi, who argues that in an increasingly hybrid work world, companies can do a lot more to connect with employees, starting by fostering empathy and personal connection in their teams. Plus, a look into why Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has split into six different entities. And, a new California law is aiming to stem supposed price gouging by fossil fuel producers in the state. 

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  • EU agrees on shift to electric cars, but the internal combustion engine may survive
    Sean Gallup/Getty Images

    From the BBC World Service: The European Union has approved a landmark law that ends the sale of carbon-emitting cars by 2035. The new law was expected to make it impossible to sell internal combustion engine cars, but Germany won an exemption for those running on ‘e-fuels’. We explore what they are, and why German industry pushed for their inclusion. Plus, officials in the Dutch capital Amsterdam have launched a digital campaign to reduce the influx of British tourists coming in search of drugs, sex and limitless alcohol. And, we examine how the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank affected startups in Africa.

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  • Need to cancel a subscription? It may soon get a lot easier
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    Have you got a bunch of subscription services that need to be canceled but are dissuaded by the onerous process? A new proposal by the Federal Trade Commission aims to streamline cancellations by requiring companies to make opting out as easy as opting in. Plus, we chat with Dr. David Kelly, Chief Global Strategist at JPMorgan Asset Management, about the macroeconomic environment as top banking regulators testify in front of Congress. And, how some American streaming giants like Netflix are winning the hearts and minds of people in France. 

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  • Top banking regulators to testify on the Hill
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    Officials from numerous government agencies that oversee the banking industry will testify in front of the Senate Banking Committee today. We look at what they’re expected to tell lawmakers about the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and related financial jitters in recent weeks. Plus, protests are continuing in France over president Emmanual Macron’s unpopular pension reforms. And, SVB’s downfall has brought new uncertainty for a variety of businesses, including some winemakers in California. 

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  • How global powers vie for influence in Africa

    From the BBC World Service: Vice President Kamala Harris has announced a $100m conflict prevention package for West Africa at the start of a week-long visit to the continent. We look at how Washington is seeking to counter the growing influence of China and Russia in Africa. Plus, Chinese billionaire Jack Ma is perhaps the most high profile name in a long list of businessmen to have recently disappeared from public life in China. It’s all linked to President Xi’s crackdown on big tech companies. So why did he reappear at a Chinese school? And, we take a look at the $300bn ‘modest fashion’ industry.

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  • Economists think that we’ll see a recession AND inflation this year

    A new survey from the National Association of Business Economics indicates that economists believe the U.S. economy will have to endure high inflation along with a potential recession this year. Julia Coronado, president of the organization, talks through the data. Plus, Chinese factories are struggling to get back to their pre-lockdown production levels even after restrictions were lifted. And, we talk with WNYC senior reporter Nancy Solomon about how tax breaks intended on bringing jobs to the city of Camden, NJ mostly didn’t boost local employment. 

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