Meredith Garretson Morbey

Supervisory Senior Producer

Meredith is a supervisory senior producer at Marketplace.

Latest from Meredith Garretson Morbey

Mar 7, 2022
Oil prices soar, stock markets fall with talk of Russian crude-oil export ban
TED ALJIBE/AFP via Getty Images
From the BBC World Service: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has confirmed America and its allies are considering further sanctions against Russia, including a potential ban on the country’s crude-oil exports. Plus, one of the world’s biggest fertilizer makers warns the conflict could deliver a shock to food supplies. And we hear from a community center in western Ukraine where volunteers are working around the clock to distribute vital supplies.
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Mar 7, 2022
How NFTs have altered the art world
Roslan Rahman/AFP via Getty Images
A year ago this week, a JPEG file containing a collage of digital illustrations by the artist known as Beeple sold for $69.3 million at an art auction. It was a record-setting sale, and it’s added fuel to the hype train surrounding NFTs. We spoke to art critic Blake Gopnik about what’s changed for artists and the art world – if anything – since the sale. Western countries are thinking about a Russian oil ban, something they hoped to avoid in the past.
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Mar 4, 2022
Examining the grasp “dark money” has around U.S. politics
Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams talks to us about how dark money operates at the federal, state and local levels, and whether there are any signs the rules around it could change in the future. We hear from Ukraine’s finance minister as the world’s markets react to what’s happening there. Christopher Low adds more market insight.
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Mar 4, 2022
Ukraine finance minister reacts to Russia’s nuclear-plant attack
From the BBC World Service: As Russia seizes Ukraine’s largest nuclear power plant, we get reaction from Ukrainian Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko. Plus, we explore the likely impact of Western sanctions on the Russian economy. And we hear from Berlin, where families are making space for Ukrainian refugees arriving in Germany.
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Mar 4, 2022
A look at Europe’s reliance on Russian gas – and what could happen if Russia cuts it off
John MacDougall/ AFP Getty Images
Russia’s control over natural gas in Europe has been one of the subplots to follow leading up to its invasion into Ukraine. Europe has long relied on Russian gas to help support its wind and solar power efforts, and it keeps many a home warm in the winter, especially Germany. For more on this, we spoke with Vijay Vaitheeswaran, global energy and climate innovation editor at The Economist. The Labor Department issues its February jobs report, and its expected to show more growth as the pandemic is showing signs of subsiding.
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Mar 3, 2022
Oil prices continues their rise as U.S. sets sights on Russian energy
Photo by JOHANNES EISELE/AFP via Getty Images
Oil prices continue to climb this morning. Global benchmark Brent crude is at $116 a barrel, which is a near 20% increase just this week. The price may go higher as the United States imposes the first export controls connected to Russia’s energy sector. We discuss rate hikes coming in March and preview upcoming jobs numbers with Diane Swonk. Philadelphia Fed president Patrick Harker talks about the Russia-Ukraine conflict and its potential impact on what the Fed could do with interest rates.
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Mar 3, 2022
Philadelphia Fed: Some employers want a particular set of skills instead of a college degree
Employers lowered the educational requirements for certain jobs during the pandemic, according to a new report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia — potentially signaling new opportunities for workers without a bachelor’s degree. We spoke to Patrick Harker, the Philadelphia Fed’s president, about what the research can tell us about the economy. He also talked about whether Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the resulting economic fallout could alter the Fed’s approach about raising interest rates in March. The war in Ukraine has led to high wheat prices, which impact certain parts of the world more than others. Fed chair Jerome Powell testifies today.
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Mar 3, 2022
Commodity prices surge as the West further isolates Russia
Oleg Nikishin/Getty Images
From the BBC World Service: A number of commodity prices have seen sharp price increases over the past week, as has the impact of Western sanctions and reluctance to do business with Russia. As the conflict continues, what will it take to cool price swings? Plus: As Ukrainian refugees continue to flee to neighboring EU nations, interior ministers meet to discuss a plan to grant temporary protection.
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Mar 2, 2022
Examining private equity’s growing role in the rental market
Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
A new report from ProPublica dives into the role of private equity in the multifamily rental market. It reveals the growing proportion of private equity-owned apartment buildings as well as how tenants are being affected by changes in ownership. We spoke with ProPublica’s Heather Vogell, the reporter behind the investigation. Susan Schmidt offers insight into today’s market activity.
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Mar 2, 2022
Biden targets Russia, inflation in State of the Union address
Sarahbeth Maney-Pool/Getty Images
President Biden used Tuesday night’s State of the Union address to urge global unity against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but he also pushed forth pieces of his domestic agenda, specifically ways to control inflation. He called fighting inflation his top priority. We know how the invasion of Ukraine is disrupting the crude oil industry, but it’s also causing chaos in the industry of edible oils as well. Ukraine is leaning on its familiarity with cryptocurrency to gather funding for aid.
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