Week of January 2nd, 2017

The U.S. sells about half its annual soybean crop overseas, total value about $20 billion.

First up, wages are on the rise for the first time since President Barack Obama took office. What might this mean for inflation? Then: China is investing a whopping $360 billion in renewable energy over the next few years, and it’s not the only emerging economy to make a green power play. Plus, conversations with “nerd Ryan Seacrest” Chris Hardwick and outgoing Secretary of Education John King.

Secretary of Education John King reflects on his time in office.

If everyone shared we'd save a whole lot of gas without using much time.

The founder of Nerdist talks about his new game show and why he worries about getting kicked out of parties.

Wages are on the rise for the first time since President Barack Obama took office. What might this mean for inflation?

On this week’s show Marketplace’s Andy Uhler and Kimberly Adams go long on Mexican energy deregulation and short on McDonald’s. We talk to Steve Heely, the CEO of the vegan fast casual chain Veggie Grill, about bringing vegan food to the masses. The Atlantic’s Dr. James Hamblin talks about his book “If Our Bodies Could Talk: A Guide to Operating and Maintaining the Human Body” and why we should  be weary of health claims made by businesses. Plus, musician Mayer Hawthorne takes the Marketplace Quiz.

The west coast vegan chain is gearing up for a $22 million expansion

We speak to Dr. James Hamblin about how economic inequality affects health, and how marketers are constantly selling us on health care.

The economy added 156,000 jobs last month, a number shy of expectations.

The house is perched on a grassy lot where the city moved it to make way for new housing.

Hidden Figures tells the story of three African-American women who worked as mathematicians at NASA in the 1960s. Screenwriter Allison Schroeder tells us about writing the film and her family history with NASA.

“Hidden Figures,” a film about three African-American women fighting for workplace equality as NASA mathematicians in the ’60s, opens in theaters across the country today. We spoke to the screenwriter, Allison Schroeder, about the film’s importance and her family history with NASA. Next, we’ll play this week’s Silicon Tally with Dan Moren, co-host of the tech podcast “The Rebound,” and then hear some New Year’s tech resolutions from our listeners and staffers.

The effects that a critical tweet from Trump can have on a company; hopes for a U.S. manufacturing rebound in 2017; and the possibility of an investment in Sheffield, England from China. 

This app guides you through Trump's tweets about companies.

Locals are trying to save some of Savannah's beautiful old trees from the woodchipper

The National Institutes of Health has loosened up restrictions on peanuts, which is good news for the industry and for parents, who spend billions on food allergies. Today brought bad news for Macy’s, which announced closings and dismal earnings over the holiday season. Plus, why Wired magazine is going sci-fi and when the vet is big business.

In the age of self-driving cars and connected everything, roads and bridges must keep up.

Managing childhood food allergies carries a high cost.

Corporatization and increased testing are partly to blame

People in Sheffield, a the former steel hub, have mixed feelings about the plan.

The rule has been almost a decade in the making.

No. 1 on the list: An independent America, according to the Eurasia Group.

From robots that show emotion to ones with personalities that evolve over time, machines are on full display at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show. But are they actually ready for prime time? Next, we’ll look at a tax holiday proposal from Trump for big tech companies like Google, Microsoft and Apple. Finally, we’ll hear the latest round of New Year’s tech resolutions from our very own Marketplace staff.  

Trump’s pick for chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission: Wall Street lawyer Jay Clayton, who’s represented the companies he could soon regulate. Next, we’ll talk with the Eurasia Group about the top political risks for 2017, and then explore the intersection of tech and infrastructure.

Jay Clayton could be instrumental in undoing Dodd-Frank.

For four days, CES offers a look at new technology for the year.

The latest innovation in construction recalls Lincoln Logs.

With TPP's demise, China promotes it's own agenda therous called R-CEP.

Rex Tillerson cashes out two million shares ahead of confirmation hearings

A look at the mobility revolution, and why some of the companies behind the shift aren't what you might think.

In both the U.S. and across the pond, politicians won on their promises to dismantle trade deals. In the new year, delivering on those promises could be tough. Then: President-elect Donald Trump’s secretary of State pick, Rex Tillerson, was close to retiring with millions in deferred stock. Now he’s cashing out to avoid a conflict of interest. Plus, how car companies prepare for a driverless future and the latest from CES 2017.

He will let go of his salary, retirement benefits and bonuses.

Several countries are experimenting on small scales with basic-income programs.

Laid off steel workers in Illinois find decades of experience may not be enough.

The Consumer Electronics Show is officially underway in Las Vegas. One trending topic this year: Artificial intelligence, and how voice assistants will be used in other devices. Next, we’ll look at a new French rule that requires companies with over 50 employees to allow their workers to check out of work email after hours. Finally, the latest round of New Year’s tech resolutions from our staffers.

Ford has cancelled a plan for a new $1.6 billion factory in Mexico, saying it will now invest some of that money into 700 new jobs in Michigan. But that’s not the whole story. Next, we’ll talk about a push from Puerto Rico’s new governor for statehood, and look at how steel workers in southwest Illinois are coping with layoffs. 

Fox reportedly offered her 20 million to stay.

Lighthizer worked sensitive deals in Reagan Administration

Small food and beverage manufacturers often lack the distribution muscle to keep their products well stocked at stores.

Marketplace's Lizzie O'Leary talks to Wall Street Journal editor Bob Davis about why some cities are recovering faster than others.

Congress started a new session today, and that means the renewed Republican effort to repeal Obamacare is underway. Plus, President-elect Donald Trump’s trade rep pick and his tweets at GM. Finally, the race to build artificial intelligence to find and scrub fake news.

Marketplace's Lizzie O'Leary talks to Wired Senior Staff Writer Cade Metz about how technologists are combining artificial intelligence with human fact checkers to take down fake news.

Since 2015 the U.S. has received close to 500,000 H1B visa applications. Only a third have been granted.

Patrice Banks quit her engineering job at DuPont and enrolled in automotive school because she was uncomfortable going to auto repair shops.

President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for Treasury Secretary wants to remove government control and financial backing from the housing-finance entities.

Millennials and baby boomers have different approaches when it comes to healthy food.

Around 150,000 people are expected to arrive in Las Vegas this week for the annual Consumer Electronics Show. Joanna Stern, a personal tech columnist for the Wall Street Journal, is here to tell us what we should expect. We’ll also look at a device from the Israel Institute of Technology that could fundamentally change preventative health care. Plus, as part of a week-long series, we’ll hear from Marketplace staffers about their New Year’s tech resolutions. 

Trump is expected to pick Robert Lighthizer as U.S. Trade Representative. We’ll explore his background and look at what the rep actually does. Next, we’ll talk about the future of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, along with the different ways baby boomers and millennials perceive healthy food. 

And how will it affect businesses.

More online sales means more shipping.

Online sales for the 2016 holiday season are expected to total about $91.6 billion, an 11 percent jump from last year, according to Adobe. We look at how that impacted delivery services.  Also on today’s show: Molly Wood talks to New York Times tech writer Farhad Manjoo about his piece “The Gadget Apocalypse Is Upon Us.” We also talked to “Arrival” screenwriter screenwriter Eric Heisserer about why making an alien movie without the explosions and battles is difficult to do. 

The smart sci-fi mystery plays with heady concepts usually reserved for a college course, not a movie theater

By sitting out bowl games, some players seek to protect their NFL value

"Prescription Universe" evaluates and ranks apps it considers the safest and most valuable.

Author Sam Maggs on the prolific inventor who invented the flat bottom paper bag

Many Canadian greenhouse growers are switching to water recycling.

That's about two weeks later than usual.

There have been a lot of management changes happening at car-rental companies.

Manhattan’s Second Avenue finally gets its subway.

New York’s long-awaited subway line is now officially open. But faster commutes may mean rising rents. How much extra could renters end up paying?  Also in transportation news: Kathryn Marinello takes the wheel at Hertz tomorrow. We’ll talk about what the management shift indicates about changes happening in the car-rental industry. Plus, a look at one hospital network’s app that helps physicians prescribe other apps. 

The value of Bitcoin is nearing $1,000. Coming off an excellent year, the digital currency could go big in 2017. Plus: one tech company with big plans in the upcoming year: Airbnb, which is expected to go public. The homeshare startup, valued at $40 billion, does business all over the globe. But its business model also has big challenges. We’ll explore the company’s responsibilities vs. those of more traditional brands. And, to end our first show of the new year, we’ll look at some 2017 tech resolutions from our staffers.