Week of August 6th, 2018

High rent prices, a need for downsizing and even sexual misconduct allegations have driven high-profile eateries out of business.

In Erie, Pennsylvania, where more than a quarter of residents live in poverty, many are in "chronic crisis mode," one social worker says.

Turkey’s currency, the lira, is in free fall. It’s been declining for months and today it reached a record low, down by as much as 18 percent. Part of the reason is Turkey’s bad relations with the United States. The two countries have been at odds lately over the detention of an American pastor. And […]

Big investment groups are scouring the market for companies whose stock they think could be worth more.

"Business is a little dicey right now," Lori Howard says of her bed-and-breakfast.

Roughly one in five Americans has a disability. Those numbers increase with age and vary across race and gender, but every single one of those people is carving out an economic life.

What started in 1970 with a massive MGM auction has turned into a multimillion-dollar global business.

(Markets Edition) President Trump has now chimed in on Turkey’s economic crisis, tweeting out that he’s cranking up the tariffs on Turkey, calling relations with the country “not good.” And while the Turkish economy is only the 17th largest in the world, it still carries potent global impact. And in our series on how people deal with toxic workplaces, an HR expert offers up her perspective. Today’s show is sponsored by Abby Connect (Abbyconnect.com/morning) and Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace). (08/10/2018)

Trump tweeted that he had authorized the doubling of steel and aluminum tariffs “with respect to Turkey.”

Phyllis Hartman, an HR expert, talks to us about the challenges HR faces when dealing with issues of a potentially hostile workplace.

(U.S. Edition) The plummeting value of the Turkish lira has now gotten the attention of the European Central Bank, which is keeping an eye on how the crisis could be affecting other foreign banks. Also, a federal court has banned an insecticide that has been linked to developmental disabilities in children — the latest development in the insecticide’s contentious history. And, if you’re in the market for any odd items that have been graced with the presence of a celebrity, Graceland in Memphis is holding an auction that includes things like a jacket from Elvis. We explore how celebrity auctions have gotten to this point. Today’s show is sponsored by Abby Connect (Abbyconnect.com/morning) and Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace). (08/10/2018)

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … A fresh plunge in the Turkish lira today is capping a tumultuous week for the country as investors grow increasingly nervous about inaction from the government and central bankers. With a new economic plan set to be released, we’ll explore what options Turkey has to soothe investors’ frayed nerves.  Then, vacationers in Europe might find themselves waiting at the airport for new flights after Ryanair cancelled planned routes amid a pilot strike. Afterwards, India is one of the largest tea producers in the world, but the local industry is in serious trouble as it tries to balance profits and worker wages in an increasingly competitive market. We’ll take you there and hear from some workers and industry players about the challenges facing their business. Today’s show is sponsored by Abby Connect (Abbyconnect.com/morning) and Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace). (08/10/2018)

To finish out our series on venture capital, we’ll take a look to the future. Cryptocurrency may have its disruptive eye cast toward venture capital. The initial coin offering is a type of crypto-crowdfunding that startups can use to raise cash quickly without kissing the Silicon Valley ring. But do ICOs really have the potential to replace venture capital for startups? We go back to the time Marketplace Tech host Molly Wood spoke with Yuliya Chernova, who covers venture capital for the Wall Street Journal, about the pros and cons of ICOs. 

Actor Rob Lowe said so on Twitter.

U.S. Rep. Chris Collins of New York was arrested and charged this week with allegedly passing on information he learned as a board member of a Australian pharmaceutical company to family members who quickly sold their stock to avoid big losses. Collins, like about of half of his colleagues in Congress, owns stock in publicly […]

Companies date, some break up, others marry and try their odds.

Supply and demand of the workers, many of whom are unauthorized, hasn't diminished in many cities in spite of the White House's immigration crackdown.

Author-illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh looks at the plight of undocumented workers in the United States.

Housing costs — more than tuition — are hurting California’s low-income college students.

The White House envisions the force as a separate military branch, which would require levels of infrastructure and various kinds of military and civilian leadership.

(Markets Edition) The government says there was no inflation from June to July. But what does that mean, given how inflation impacts our daily decisions? Also, many businesses are joining forces to support the U.S. Postal Service — they may not be the Avengers, but they do have a name: the Package Coalition. Speaking of finding help, we also speak to an expert about how to handle working in a hostile environment. Today’s show is sponsored by Avast (avast.com) and Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace). (08/09/2018)

The city council is temporarily banning new permits for the popular rideshare services due to increasing concerns about traffic, as well as the impact they have on taxi drivers.

The group of retailers call themselves the Package Coalition.

(U.S. Edition) The U.S and Japan meet to talk trade for the first time since the U.S. pulled out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. We’re also keeping an eye on the rising inflation in Turkey as the Lira continues to drop. Also, New York City has stopped Uber and Lyft in its tracks there, halting permits for a year due to concerns about traffic. Today’s show is sponsored by Avast (avast.com) and Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace). (08/09/2018)

Japan trade talks are set to open today in Washington, D.C. for the first bilateral trade meeting since President Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership last year. It’s a high level meeting between Japanese Economic Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. Negotiating a free trade agreement and tariffs […]

Dealing with a bullying boss is not easy, but management consultant Kathi Elster offers some useful advice.

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … Fresh controversy around the ongoing European migrant crisis deepens after hundreds of farm workers in Italy go on strike. Then, Swedish meatballs and D-I-Y furniture have landed in India after IKEA opened its first store there today. We’ll hear from the company’s boss about its plans for future investment in the country. Afterwards, Snap, Crackle, and Pop – three jovial characters Kellogg’s has relied on for decades to sell their Rice Krispies cereal – are now under pressure in the U.K., along with other snack brands, as the government looks to tackle the country’s childhood obesity problem. Today’s show is sponsored by Avast (avast.com) and Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace). (08/09/2018)

This week we’re diving into stories about venture capital. There’s a group of venture capital firms that want to change the world for the better and make money. This is called impact investing. One of the firms working in this space is Impact America Fund, which invests in companies with diverse missions — for instance, a startup that helps African-American stylists sell their own hair extensions. Marketplace Tech host Molly Wood talked with Impact America Fund founder Kesha Cash about the sometimes complex collision of money and mission in venture capital.

At the intersection of trade and tariffs … the Mississippi River has seen it all.

Once a closely held secret, free scores are abundant.

The Trump administration looks to cut the Iranian economy from a key source of revenue. Analysts say past sanctions weren't totally able to do that.

Following a 15-day congressional notification period, the sanctions will take effect on or around Aug. 22.

The company is weathering growing pains and may retreat from the stock market spotlight.

(Markets Edition) The Trump administration might try to deny citizenship to people who’ve received welfare, help from social services, welfare, and coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Its reasoning? This notion that immigrants are a drain on health services. But we’ll look at a some new data showing immigrants actually use them at a lower rate than people born in the U.S. Afterwards, we’ll discuss Elon Musk’s plans to potentially take Tesla off the public stock market, and then we’ll explore how open office floorplans might actually lead to less interaction among co-workers. Today’s show is sponsored by Avast (avast.com), Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace), and Michigan Economic Development Corporation (planetm.michiganbusiness.org). (08/08/2018)

A report out today in the Journal of Health Services contradicts a common narrative.

See ya, haters.

(U.S. Edition) On Twitter, CEO Elon Musk said he might turn Twitter from a publicly traded company into a private one. We’ll look at what exactly Musk would gain from this move. Afterwards, we’ll discuss news that the U.S. will impose its latest round of tariffs against China in about two weeks, and then we’ll chat with organizational psychologist Karlyn Borysenko about some tips for dealing with horrible bosses. Today’s show is sponsored by Avast (avast.com), Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace), and Michigan Economic Development Corporation (planetm.michiganbusiness.org). (08/08/2018)

A new study found that employees looked for other ways to regain privacy, like sending email to a nearby colleague.

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service…Despite U.S. tariffs enacted six days into July, China’s monthly exports rose more than expected. We’ll dissect how America’s tit-for-tat trade spat with the country could impact the economy in the second half of the year. Then, Malaysia’s former prime minster had pleaded not guilty to new charges of money laundering brought against him on Wednesday. Afterwards, Pakistan’s sports star-turned prime minister hasn’t been sworn in yet after elections last month, but he already faces a mounting financial crisis as many analysts believe the country will look for its thirteenth IMF bailout. We’ll take you there and investigate how the newly-minted politician will try to turn things around. Today’s show is sponsored by Avast (avast.com), Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace), and Michigan Economic Development Corporation (planetm.michiganbusiness.org). (08/08/2018)

Organizational psychologist Karlyn Borysenko needed an out from her job. So she learned how to direct her energy on formulating an exit strategy, instead of expending it on the stress at work.

The Japanese multinational SoftBank Group launched its $98 billion VisionFund last year. Since then, it’s dramatically changed the landscape in tech and venture capital. The fund has taken a majority stake in Uber, poured billions into WeWork, Nvidia, DoorDash, Slack and the dog walking startup Wag. SoftBank’s influence is so big, it’s pushing other venture capital companies to raise more money. Sequoia Capital, one of Silicon Valley’s best-known firms, is reportedly trying to raise more than $12 billion in new capital just to keep up. In our series on venture capital’s promise and perils, we’ll relisten to Marketplace Tech host Molly Wood’s conversation with Anand Sanwal of CB Insights about how VisionFund is changing everything. (08/08/2018)

The search giant made waves when it set out to disrupt the internet service sector with a rollout of super-fast fiber-optic cable. The Atlanta region thought it would benefit. It hasn't.

Introducing, or reintroducing, some of the characters you'll meet on season two of "Slow Burn."

Where were you in 1998? It’s been 20 years since the scandal, and the second season of Slate’s “Slow Burn” is taking another look.

The U.S. government has always been wary of immigrants who might be a drain on the economy, but soon even legal immigrants who’ve enrolled in Obamacare could be disqualified from citizenship if proposed new rules take effect. Click the audio player above to hear the full story. 

Buybacks among S&P 500 companies are projected to hit $1 trillion this year.

What does that mean? Data collection, privacy settings and software updates … for a car.

We continue our look at venture capital — how it works, how investments are made and how those investments shape our world. Social Capital is a venture capital fund founded by Chamath Palihapitiya, a former Facebook executive and professional poker player. He believes more venture capitalists need to use their own money when investing and not rely on institutional partners such as universities and pension funds. We revisit his talk with Marketplace Tech host Molly Wood about what should change in startup investing. (08/07/2018)

(Markets Edition) Edgy rhetoric used to cause investors to fall back on the perceived safety of bonds, but despite the headlines on trade and Iran, markets are still ticking along. We’ll talk to David Kelly, chief global strategist at JP Morgan Funds, about why investors aren’t running scared from stocks. Afterwards, we’ll discuss Missouri’s plan to vote on potential new powers to undercut private-sector labor unions, and then we’ll look at how Arkansas is experimenting with work requirements for those on Medicaid. Today’s show is sponsored by Alliance for Lifetime Income (retireyourrisk.org/advisors), Avast (avast.com),  and Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace). (08/07/2018)

Businessman Tanweer Ahmed will start by promoting his "dream project," the country's largest cricket complex, to the South Asian community that already enjoys the sport.

Most imported Christmas decorations in the U.S. are made in China and trade fears loom.

Arkansas is at the forefront of a national experiment to see whether requiring work for health care coverage helps lift people out of poverty. So far, the state’s plan has seen low compliance among beneficiaries who may soon see themselves fall off the Medicaid rolls. Out of the around 10,000 people who were supposed to […]

If passed by voters Tuesday, it would change the way unions collect money from members.

(U.S. Edition) The U.S. has re-imposed sanctions on Iran overnight, but there’s one way the Middle Eastern country is trying to get around that. We’ll look at how Iran has been telling its citizens to import precious metals and get their hands on U.S. dollars. Afterwards, as part of Black Women’s Equal Pay Day, we’ll look at the wages that black women make compared to white men, and what some are trying to do to end the wage gap. Then to cap off today’s show, we’ll explore what trade tensions between the U.S. and China might mean for Christmas. Today’s show is sponsored by Alliance for Lifetime Income (retireyourrisk.org/advisors), Avast (avast.com),  and Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace). (08/07/2018)

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … Snapback sanctions from the U.S. against Iran went into effect at midnight, and while European governments have vowed to protect companies wanting to continue doing business with the Middle Eastern country, will many choose to risk being frozen out of the American economy? Then, amid a diplomatic row between Saudi Arabia and Canada, one activist who left Saudi Arabia says economic reforms cannot be achieved without more political freedoms. Afterwards, a new theatrical production in London puts the audience center stage in a re-creation of the global financial crisis to better understand the perils that led to a collapse of the banking system. We’ll take you to the Almeida Theatre where our correspondent took a turn at playing a banker betting on the world economy. Today’s show is sponsored by Alliance for Lifetime Income (retireyourrisk.org/advisors), Avast (avast.com),  and Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace). (08/07/2018)

How hate speech censorship policies and content moderation appear to an artist creating on the platform.

With unemployment so low, at 3.9 percent in July, some employers are taking a second look at workers they might have passed on before

Tech startup Divvy Homes offers "fractional" home ownership, at a premium.

Instead of relying on a single income source, one music teacher took up a new trade.

(Markets Edition) Elders are going bankrupt at a much higher rate than they used to, according to a new study from the Consumer Bankruptcy Project. We’ll look at some of the factors that may be causing them financial distress. Afterwards, we’ll talk to economist Julia Coronado from MacroPolicy Perspectives about how China’s currency is faring, and then we’ll discuss how the Trump administration might let people factor in inflation when calculating the tax on capital gains. Today’s show is sponsored by Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace), Michigan Economic Development Corporation (planetm.michiganbusiness.org), and Wunder Capital (wundercapital.com). (08/06/2018)

Nooyi has been with PepsiCo Inc. for 24 years and held the top job for 12.

(U.S. Edition) With U.S. sanctions on Iran going into effect today, we’ll explore how many companies are in a lose-lose situation — whether they do business with the Middle Eastern country or they don’t. Afterwards, we’ll look at how the ongoing trade conflict between the U.S. and China will affect Southeast Asian countries, and then we’ll chat with art critic Blake Gopnik about the way Andy Warhol mixed business with art. Today’s show is sponsored by Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace), Michigan Economic Development Corporation (planetm.michiganbusiness.org), and Wunder Capital (wundercapital.com). (08/06/2018)

U.S. sanctions on Iran go into effect today. Back in 2015 when Iran agreed to limit its nuclear program, many U.S. sanctions were lifted. But President Donald Trump pulled out of the multinational agreement in May, and now the measures are back. What’s at stake for foreign companies? Click the audio player above to hear […]

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … A top supplier to Apple was hit by a computer virus over the weekend – and it could cost the Taiwanese company more than $250 million. Then, orders at the factory gate in Germany saw a sharp drop in June amid growing concerns about global trade tensions. What does this signal for economic growth in the second half of the year?  Afterwards, what would you do if you saw your face advocating for a product you’ve never used? Or endorsing a college program you never participated in? All without your consent? That’s what happened to one woman who signed up for a photo shoot and found out too late that she’d signed away rights to her own face, allowing stock-image companies to use it however they wished. Today’s show is sponsored by Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace), Michigan Economic Development Corporation (planetm.michiganbusiness.org), and Wunder Capital (wundercapital.com). (08/06/2018)

The avant-garde artist's business-art was arguably his most influential work of all.

All week we’re looking at venture capital and the people who control that wealth. We start with the industry’s very culture. In November, venture capitalist Steve Jurvetson of Draper Fisher Jurvetson left that firm following allegations of inappropriate behavior and an internal investigation. The company said he left by mutual agreement. Ellen Pao is a venture capitalist who sued another well-known firm, Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, for gender discrimination in 2012. She lost the case, but it inspired other women to come forward. We revisit Marketplace Tech host Molly Wood’s conversation with Pao about how her public battle shined a light on venture capital’s culture. (08/06/2018)