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Nick Esposito

Latest from Nick Esposito

  • Caution amid a relatively downbeat earnings season
    Caiaimage/Paul Bradbury/Getty Images

    The corporate earnings season has thus far been a downer. Yesterday, Microsoft announced its profits fell 12 percent last quarter, which comes after major banks reported similarly poor performances. We check in with Susan Schmidt, head of the State of Wisconsin Investment Board, about what to expect as companies continue to report earnings. Copper prices are surging worldwide, partly due to China’s re-emergence after lifting its Covid lockdown restrictions. And, a report from the BBC’s Sally Nabil from Egypt about the country’s worsening economic situation. 

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  • Elon Musk on trial over a market-moving tweet
    Chris Delmas/AFP via Getty Images

    Tesla and Twitter CEO Elon Musk is once again defending himself against a lawsuit. This time, plaintiffs are suing Musk over a 2018 tweet saying he was considering taking Tesla private which caused investors to lose money. Erik Gordon, a professor at the University of Michigan, helps us break down the suit. And, the Department of Justice is suing Google’s parent company, Alphabet, over allegations that the company has monopolized the digital advertising business.

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  • Amazon's the acquisition of health clinics run by One Medical has been approved by antitrust regulators, but similar deals may still face future scrutiny.
    Ethan Miller/Getty Images

    From the BBC World Service: We hear from the Amazon workers in the UK who are staging their first strike in a dispute over pay and conditions. Plus, a German union says Ford is planning thousands of job cuts in Europe. What’s driving the group’s future strategy? And, Egypt is struggling with rising prices, a weak currency and a cash-strapped government. What impact is that having on day-to-day lives?

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  • A Live Nation sign is seen inside a Blockbuster store in New York City.
    Mario Tama/Getty Images

    The CEO of Live Nation, a live entertainment company bought by Ticketmaster over a decade ago, is facing a grilling on Capitol Hill over last year’s online sales debacle Taylor Swift concert tickets. This, as it reportedly faces a probe by the Department of Justice. There’s data today that orders from factories are down, which comes amid a spate of bad news for the sector. And, as part of our Econ Extra Credit series, we delve into how social media and algorithms promote a certain body image…and how that can translate into harm for some people. 

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  • The online pharmacy Cost Plus Drug aims to provide cheaper generic drugs for the public.
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    Amazon announced it will launch a new subscription drug service dubbed Amazon RxPass to complement its existing pharmaceutical products. The service, which will offer generic medications for $5 a month with Prime membership, will be the latest attempt by the online retail behemoth to make waves in the healthcare space. And, as part of our Econ Extra Credit series, we delve into the extreme fitness industry with Stephen Mayville, a Reno-based psychologist who studies muscle dysmorphia and steroid misuse. 

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  • Royal rent woe for Twitter
    Constanza Hevia/AFP via Getty Images

    From the BBC World Service: Twitter stands accused of skipping rent to King Charles III. The Crown Estate in the U.K., which manages property belonging to the reigning monarch, has filed court proceedings against the firm for arrears on its headquarters in London’s famous Piccadilly Circus. Plus, questions are being raised over Ticketmaster and whether it has a monopoly. We look at what U.S. regulators could maybe learn from Europe. And we hear more on those plans for a common currency in South America.

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  • Are some of the clouds lifting on gloomy recession forecasts?
    Spencer Platt/ Getty Images

    With the latest inflation report indicating a moderation in rising prices, some CEOs and economists are changing their tune on forecasts of a potential recession this year. Julia Coronado explains what’s driving optimism the near-term economic future may not be as bad as originally predicted. As Lunar New Year festivities kick off worldwide, China is having to balance celebrating one of the country’s most important holidays with a severe Covid situation. And, Chris Farrell talks about the potential benefits of the bigger Social Security checks that went out this month. 

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  • ‘Tis the season — for taxes
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    The holiday season may be over, but another “season” is now upon us — the one to pay your taxes. The IRS’s window to submit tax returns is open from now until around April 15 for most people, and the agency is promising better service than in recent years when it experienced crippling delays. Renters nowadays are having to spend higher and higher proportions of their income on housing, which takes away from spending in other areas. And, some of the Federal Reserve’s highest-profile figures are publicly disagreeing about how much to hike interest rates in the near future. 

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  • Could a South American common currency rival the dollar?

    From the BBC World Service: We examine why Brazil and Argentina are exploring a common currency. Both countries have been wracked by economic demons – with Argentina in particular suffering one of the highest inflation rates in world. Plus, why Pakistan is facing power cuts. And we meet the Hongkongers celebrating Lunar New Year in the U.K.

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  • Rick Sharga with Attom Data Solutions said he expects to see less house flipping because it's becoming less profitable.
    Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

    A big swing in the housing market occurred over the last year: for the vast majority of people, it’s now cheaper to rent a place than to own it. According to a new report, that’s in big part due to rising mortgage rates, which have risen in tandem with the Fed’s rate hikes. Netflix’s CEO, Reed Hastings, is stepping down — he helped transform the company from a mail-order DVD service to a streaming behemoth. Christopher Low helps break down what’s behind the recent strength of bond yields. And, the Sundance Film Festival is back in person after two years of being virtual because of the pandemic. 

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Nick Esposito