Latest from Nick Esposito

• Jun 5, 2023

  The push against workplace body discrimination gains momentum

  

  New York City’s new law against formalized body discrimination, signed into law last month, makes it the biggest city so far to pass such protections. We look into what’s behind the move to prohibit the practice amongst employers and what it means for employees. Plus, Saudi Arabia’s announcement that it will cut oil production may have moved markets this morning, but economist Julia Coronado says this year has been a story of surprisingly low energy prices. 

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• Jun 5, 2023

  What the debt problem says about wider issues of inequality

  

  The debt ceiling issue officially wrapped this weekend as President Biden signed a compromise deal into law, but the saga has raised unanswered questions about how…and on whom…the government spends money. We talk with Ray Dalio, founder of the world’s largest hedge fund, about what the latest spat says about inequality in America. Plus, Allstate announced it would stop its home insurance programs in California in response to increased risk from wildfires and high building costs. And finally, construction is on the downswing as building new housing units becomes more expensive. 

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• Jun 5, 2023

  Oil prices rise as OPEC+ slashes production by a million barrels a day

  

  From the BBC World Service: Oil prices rise after OPEC+, the organization enabling the cooperation of leading oil-producing countries in order to collectively influence the global market and maximize profit, cut production by a further million barrels a day. Oil analyst Cornelia Meyer explains why they’ve done it. Plus the BBC’s Archana Shukla reports from India on the train crash that’s cost at least 275 lives. And finally, China aims for the moon as it invests in the new space race.

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• Jun 2, 2023

  Job openings rose a lot…but so did unemployment

  

  Today’s jobs report is in the books, and it showed something that economists didn’t expect: a rise in unemployment combined with a huge boost in the number of jobs added. FHN Financial Chief Economist Christopher Low explains what the data could mean, including that the quality of job openings could be falling. Plus, what’s inside the debt deal that passed the Senate last night? And finally, economist Monica de Bolle helps break down what’s gone so wrong in Argentina’s economy. 

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• Jun 2, 2023

  Debt ceiling drama — done

  

  President Biden overcame the final legislative hurdle to raising the nation’s debt ceiling last night as the Senate voted 63-36 in favor of the compromise agreement struck with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy last weekend. We look at what’s in the final agreement as it goes to the White House for the final sign-off. And finally, Argentina’s economy is in tatters as people deal with inflation over 100% — the BBC’s Leanna Byrne explains how that’s been affecting people on the ground. 

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• Jun 2, 2023

  Fresh U.S. sanctions on Sudan as fighting rages

  

  From the BBC World Service: Sudanese companies and individuals have been hit with new economic restrictions as an intense power struggle continues to cause devastation in the country. Dr. Mehrzad Boroujerdi, a U.S.-based policy analyst, believes it will take more than just sanctions to end the conflict. iPhone maker Foxconn has followed through on a plan to expand production into India by the end of the year. And find out why the pandemic has changed how we eat lunch at work.

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• Jun 2, 2023

  Finding Your Place: a special report on the economics of homelessness

  

  How did homelessness become such a defining and intractable economic issue in America? What are the root causes of the recent rise in homelessness, and more importantly, how do we fix it? In this special report, we delve into six different facets of the fight against homelessness to get a better sense of what people have been going through — and what that can tell us about how to tackle the issue that’s been vexing mayors and legislators across the nation for decades. 

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• Jun 1, 2023

  Caught between a job and homelessness

  

  Part of the advice prescribed as a “cure” to homelessness is getting a job. But what happens when the work people do still isn’t enough to afford a place to live? A new study from the Economic Roundtable nonprofit delves into the surprisingly-high rate of homelessness amongst California fast food workers. Plus, businesses in some resort towns are offering subsidies for landlords to rent to local workers. 

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• Jun 1, 2023

  A bipartisan vote sends the debt deal to the Senate

  

  After a bipartisan vote on the debt deal in the House of Representatives last night, the compromise legislation looks to be on its way to becoming law. We look at what the spending cuts in the bill, totaling about $1.5 trillion, could mean for the economy. Plus, organizations that provide services to people experiencing homelessness are finding it hard to staff enough workers. And finally, Amazon has agreed to pay $31 million to settle allegations that it improperly handled the data of children collected by its Alexa voice assistant. 

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• Jun 1, 2023

  Dubai, Abu Dhabi broaden incomes with tax hike

  

  From the BBC World Service: The United Arab Emirates, for many years a zero-tax economy, has introduced new corporate tax rates for businesses. That comes as the country’s government seeks to move away from reliance on oil revenues. Plus, the BBC’s Nkechi Ogbonna reports from Nigeria, where a planned end to oil subsidies has led to a rush in people stocking up at fuel depots.

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