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Jonathan Frewin

Latest from Jonathan Frewin

  • May 12, 2022

    Despite new faces, diversity appears elusive to other parts of the Fed system

    “If you’re intentionally creating a talent pool that is nondiverse, then you’re probably going to end up with a nondiverse outcome," Georgetown Law professor Chris Brummer says. Above, the Federal Reserve building in Washington, D.C.
    Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images

    The Senate confirmed Philip Jefferson this week as just the fourth Black man to serve as a Federal Reserve governor in Washington. He joins Lisa Cook, the first Black woman to serve as a Fed governor. However, a new report shows that the pace of diversity has been slower at the 12 regional Fed banks. We speak with the BBC’s Victoria Craig about London vying for position at the top of the cryptocurrency world.

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  • May 12, 2022

    The unionization bug bites Congress

    Storm clouds gather near the U.S. Capitol on Sep. 22, in Washington, D.C.
    Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images

    Staffers in the House of Representatives are going be allowed to unionize for the first time, following a vote narrowly passed by Democrats. Long hours and low pay are at the crux of the unionization efforts, and there are hopes that unionization could slow down constant turnover. The House has also passed a bill that sets up new benefits for federal firefighters. We look into how the closing of a Piggly Wiggly store in Nashville illustrates the impact of local store closures in a community.

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  • May 12, 2022

    Is now the time for more crypto regulation? The U.K. says yes.

    Is now the time for more crypto regulation? The U.K. says yes.

    From the BBC World Service: A bout of volatility in crypto assets has sparked renewed conversations about whether and how better regulations can be written for the industry. Plus, Softbank shares plunge after “eye watering” quarterly loss. And, Google adds 24 new languages to its Google Translate app. 

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  • May 11, 2022

    Has peak inflation arrived?

    Prices for all items were up 5% year over year in May, per the latest consumer price index data.
    Scott Olson via Getty Images

    The latest consumer price index shows that prices rose 8.3% between April of this year and last year. While that’s high, it’s not has high as we’ve seen … so, does that mean inflation has peaked? Here to consult with us is Susan Schmidt, head of U.S. equities with Aviva Investors. Plus, Ukraine has reduced some natural gas shipments from Russia, which might alter how natural gas to European nations that are still reliant on it. Also, the recent hit to the value of cryptocurrencies. And, why North Korea is likely to once again prioritize its weapons program over its economic well-being.

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  • May 11, 2022

    Senate confirms Lisa Cook as first Black woman to serve on Fed board

    Lisa DeNell Cook, nominated to be a Member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, testifies before a Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee confirmation hearing on February 3, 2022, in Washington, DC.
    KEN CEDENO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

    The Senate has confirmed President Biden’s nominee Lisa Cook to serve on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. The economist will be the first Black woman ever to serve on the board. Also, Marketplace’s China correspondent Jennifer Pak checks in from Shanghai, which is still in COVID lockdown and actually increasing restrictions. And, hear from a company that makes compact shelters for those experiencing homelessness in Washington state.

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  • May 11, 2022

    Ukraine cuts off Russian natural gas supply

    DONETSK, UKRAINE - MARCH 11: A natural gas line runs through the country side on March 11, 2015 outside Donetsk, Ukraine. Russia often tries to exert it's control over Ukraine through the price of natural gas. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

    From the BBC World Service: Ukraine has essentially turned off one of its taps transporting Russian natural gas supplies to Europe. Also on the program, we meet the entrepreneurs launching new airlines, despite the pandemic.

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  • May 10, 2022

    Big Tech is taking big hits as Wall Street enters a sixth week of uncertainty

    Wall Street is the iconic location of the American stock market, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average is the market's iconic index of household-name companies.
    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

    Prince Charles delivers the Queen's speech at the State opening of the UK Parliament in London.
    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

    MADERA, CALIFORNIA - MAY 25: In an aerial view, a tractor kicks up dust as it plows a dry field on May 25, 2021 in Madera, California. As California enters an extreme drought emergency, water is starting to become scarce in California's Central Valley, one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world. Farmers are facing a shortage of water to use on their crops as wells and reservoirs dry up. Some are pulling out water dependent crops, like almonds, or opting to leave acres fallow. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

    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

    In this file photo, immigrants await their turn for green card and citizenship interviews at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Queens office on May 30, 2013 in the Long Island City neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City.
    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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