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I've Always Wondered ...

If you’re like us, you’ve got a lot of questions about the small, simple, ubiquitous things in the world of business. Let's find the answers.
What have you always wondered about the economy?

Green peppers are cheaper than their more colorful comrades. Here's why.
I've Always Wondered ...
Green peppers are cheaper than their more colorful comrades. Here's why.
Why do we no longer use $1,000 bills?
I've Always Wondered ...
Why do we no longer use $1,000 bills?
What do CEOs do all day long to deserve their pay?
I've Always Wondered ...
What do CEOs do all day long to deserve their pay?
How much money is there in the world?
I've Always Wondered ...
How much money is there in the world?

From This Collection

I've Always Wondered ...

The long, tangled story behind country-of-origin labels

by Janet Nguyen
Jun 24, 2022
“Made in” labels started as a way to protect domestic economies. Globalization has made it a lot more complicated.
Country-of-origin labels in the U.S. date back to the 19th century.
MYCHELE DANIAU/AFP via Getty Images
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When is a powerful company considered a monopoly?

by Janet Nguyen
Jun 17, 2022
The feds broke up giant AT&T. But experts say now it’s harder to make allegations of anti-competitive behavior stick.
Being a monopoly doesn't in itself mean a company is engaging in illegal behavior.
Alex Wong/Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

How do experts know the causes behind the stock market’s ups and downs?

by Janet Nguyen
Jun 10, 2022
While the monthly jobs report or inflation numbers can move the markets, sometimes the reasons for daily fluctuations are less clear.
A trader working at the New York Stock Exchange on Friday. A high consumer price index reading led to widespread selling and large losses for the major indexes.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

How much food are we wasting? 

by Janet Nguyen
Jun 3, 2022
Households end up squandering about one-third of the food they buy. More affluent people are among the biggest wasters.
About $240 billion worth of food is wasted annually in the United States, according to research.
Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

Why do some areas have underground utilities and others have them overhead? 

by Janet Nguyen
May 27, 2022
Burying power lines is much more expensive, but pretty views and reduced risk are part of the debate.
"On the California grid, on a typical summer afternoon, the peak demand is about 30,000 megawatts," says Severin Borenstein of UC Berkeley. "And on the really hot days, it goes to about 50,000 megawatts."
Brandon Bell/Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

Why the interest on your savings isn’t growing along with Fed rate hikes

by Janet Nguyen
May 20, 2022
The average savings rate is still just 0.07%. Part of the reason: Banks have too much money. Let us explain.
New requirements by the Treasury Department would tighten the mission of CDFIs by requiring money to go toward the most financially underserved groups.
John Moore/Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

How do grocery stores make money when their profit margins are so low?

by Janet Nguyen
May 13, 2022
Margins can be as little as 1%. But there are three ways to look at rate of return, and other factors to consider.
Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images
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For public good, not for profit.

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I've Always Wondered ...

Why do companies have to make more money each year? 

by Janet Nguyen
May 6, 2022
Most of them face the pressure of investors.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

Why does the Federal Reserve raise rates in quarter percentages?

by Janet Nguyen
Apr 29, 2022
The Fed recently hiked rates by 25 basis points, and plans to raise rates several more times this year alone.
A view of the Federal Reserve Board building in Washington, D.C.
SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

Why do oil companies call themselves “energy” companies? 

by Janet Nguyen
Apr 22, 2022
Over the past several decades, several corporations have tried to distance themselves from being known as oil and gas companies.
A view of a Chevron gas sign in Houston, Texas.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images
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