Week of August 13th, 2018

There’s a dance called earnings season that happens in the corporate world every three months. Public companies are required to open their books and add up all those debits and credits so that investors, analysts, and the media can comb through their financial statements. President Donald Trump on Friday said he’s asked the Securities and […]

Netflix and Amazon are rushing to sign writers, directors and showrunners for multiyear, multimillion-dollar deals. The latest: Netflix confirmed that it has inked a deal with Kenya Barris, the creator of the ABC sitcom “Black-ish.” So what are these streaming companies going after with all the money they’re spending? Click the audio player above to […]

Sometimes it's legal, but is it a good idea?

Nationwide, most people still commute to work by car; 85 percent according to the 2016 census. Some people don’t have that option. People who don’t own vehicles often rely on public transportation, and in Dallas, 54 percent of people who do that spend at least 45 minutes commuting, each way. One Texan has a commute that’s considerably […]

The program is hoping to help the needy – including America's dairy farmers.

In an effort to save money and perhaps to promote longer-term thinking, this morning President Trump tweeted today that he wants regulators to look at ending quarterly reports for public companies, which have been required by law since 1970. What about twice a year instead of four? Click the above audio player to hear the full story.

(Markets Edition) One year ago, a tropical storm called Harvey formed and eventually morphed into Hurricane Harvey, making a devastating impact on Texas. Federal forecasters say this year’s edition of hurricane season probably won’t bring another Harvey-like storm, but Marketplace’s Reema Khrais told us how vulnerable areas are applying lessons they learned from Harvey’s appearance. Then, while e-cigarettes have U.S. regulators concerned, British authorities are actually focusing on the benefits of vaping, as the BBC’s Anu Anand told us more. And, Monday is the day Greece formally leaves the so-called “bailout” program. Stephen Beard shared with us how the Euro still has quite the presence in the minds of many Greeks. Today’s show is sponsored by Abby Connect (Abbyconnect.com/morning), Indeed  (Indeed.com/marketplace) and Carbonite (www.carbonite.com). (08/17/2018)

As the country prepares to exit years of IMF-EU bailouts, views differ on the European Union's common currency.

A look at how the flame retardant industry came to touch so many objects in our lives.

(U.S. Edition) The opioid epidemic is getting more attention from the Trump administration, with the Drug Enforcement Agency and the Justice Department asking pharmaceutical companies to dial back production of some of the most abused prescription painkillers. Marketplace’s Justin Ho tells us more. Also, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is lending a hand to struggling dairies in the form of a $50 million purchase of milk, which is about 12- to 15-million gallons. The milk will get to people through soup kitchens and food banks. Then, we talk about life in an actual toxic environment – we talk to reporter and lawyer Jamie Kitman, who recently wrote a piece in The Nation detailing how toxic chemicals surround our everyday lives, and how much of it can be tied to additives in gasoline. Today’s show is sponsored by Abby Connect (Abbyconnect.com/morning), Indeed  (Indeed.com/marketplace) and Carbonite (www.carbonite.com). (08/17/2018)

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … A group of British lawmakers say the country’s national health service should promote e-cigarettes as a way of helping people stop smoking. But the World Health Organization is against the promotion of vaping. We’ll explore the evidence on both sides of the $15 billion dollar e-cigarette industry. Then, well-known for its burgers and fries, McDonald’s has become a staple of the fast-food industry around the world. But the Golden Arches is stepping up efforts in the higher-end menu space, and one London restaurant got a red-carpet rollout this week, complete with white-gloved butlers and faux-gold plated dinnerware. We’ll explore whether the world’s biggest burger chain going too upmarket too fast. Today’s show is sponsored by Abby Connect (Abbyconnect.com/morning), Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace) and Carbonite (www.carbonite.com). (08/17/2018)

Engagement is a key measure of health for social media platforms. It’s measureed not only by how much time users spend there, but also how often they upload, share, comment and “like.” Investors want to know that these platforms are integrated into users’ lives so that advertising revenue can continue to grow. But some platforms, including Snapchat and Facebook, are seeing engagement decline. Jessi Hempel, a senior writer for Wired magazine, points to a gradual boundary setting with social media that she thinks a lot of people have been doing, intentionally or not. (08/17/18)  

People are gradually setting boundaries with social media.

You may have heard this phrase: “It’s the economy, stupid. ” And it usually is. Parties in power tend to do better when the economy is humming along, and voters are more likely to give them the boot when the economy’s not doing so hot. With low unemployment, a booming stock market and strong growth, […]

When Thomas Page McBee started transitioning and taking testosterone, he didn’t just notice a difference in his vocal range. He also started tracking how people responded.

Texas residents struggle with heat and rising air-conditioning expenses.

As a Syrian living in Turkey, Dania Abdulbaqi struggled to find formal work as an engineer.

(Markets Edition) Retail goliath Walmart enjoyed rising profits into the early part of summer, and it also reported a 40 percent boost in its online sales. But it’s also reporting rising costs, and Marketplace’s Dan Gorenstein lets us know if that means the prices at Walmart are going to go up as well. Also, economist Diane Swonk lets us know if the possibly cresting housing market is a good thing, depending on where you live. Also, if you’re internationally flying in or out of Orlando, you’ll notice how Orlando International Airport is requiring facial scans of passengers to cut down on wait times and increase security. Renata Sago tells us more. Today’s show is sponsored by Battelle (Battelle.org/QI) and Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace). (08/16/2018)

Retail giant Walmart is faced with the rising cost of raw materials, labor, trucking and the possibility of a trade war. All of that means consumers may soon see price hikes. If Walmart takes the leap, other retailers are likely to follow. Click the audio player above to hear the full story. 

How does the technology work, and what does it offer beyond the old stand by — a set of human eyes?

(U.S. Edition) China is sending a delegation to Washington later this month to see if there’s a way both countries can move on from this battle of dueling tariffs. Marketplace’s China correspondent Jennifer Pak joined us to shed more light on what this means. Also, it’s the time of year when shipping picks up for holiday-themed goods, which then start filling up the border and ports. The aforementioned tariffs become a factor as well, as Mitchell Hartman reports. Then, we check in on Greece, which is approaching the day it leaves the bailout program it’s been in for the last eight years. Does this mean Greece is ready for financial independence? Stephen Beard reports from Athens. Today’s show is sponsored by Battelle (Battelle.org/QI) and Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace). (08/16/2018)

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … Politicians and corporations are continuing to point fingers about who is responsible for a bridge collapse this week in Italy. Now, the government is threatening to take over the nation’s motorways. Then, in a bid to increase levels of local homeownership in New Zealand, the country’s government has passed legislation restricting foreigners from buying residential property after the prime minister blamed foreign speculators for driving up home prices. Today’s show is sponsored by Battelle (Battelle.org/QI) and Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace). (08/16/2018)

Little about the 1998 blockbuster is true to life, but mining asteroids and comets is "humanity’s future, I’m pretty convinced of that," one expert says.

This summer, Marketplace Tech is exploring tech in movies. Today, we’re looking at the Bruce Willis classic “Armageddon,” which was the highest-grossing film of 1998. Willis’ character, Harry Stamper, is a “deep core” oil driller sent into space to drill a hole and drop a bomb in an asteroid hurtling toward Earth. We meet Harry on an offshore oil rig, managing a surly crew, with oil flying everywhere. It’s a depiction of oil-drilling life that has stuck with the public, but has very little to do with reality. Eric van Oort, a professor of petroleum engineering at the University of Texas, talked to us about the space drilling technology in “Armageddon.” (08/16/18)

Russian officials were in Turkey on Tuesday, talking with the government there about possible solutions for Turkey’s currency crisis. Both countries are also facing U.S. sanctions, so one idea they floated: Stick to their own national currencies for trade and avoid using the dollar at all. On top of that, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov echoed […]

Members of a company's governing body have a “fiduciary responsibility” — and are well-compensated for it.

It's all about making the experience "less painful for men," Colin Hunter says.

For Alton Lane CEO Colin Hunter, the way to disrupt retail is to get the data to make it ultra-personal.

Some Greeks fear their country may struggle once bailouts end.

The New York Fed says fewer kinds of missed payments are showing up on credit scores.

(Markets Edition) The stock market experienced a down day today. In addition to drops in the Dow and S&P, Europe and Asia markets also fell. We talked with Susan Schmidt, senior portfolio manager at Westwood Holdings, who mentioned speculation that the downward trend in Asia might have been due to some unfortunate earnings reports. Also, the online job-finding company Indeed put together a list that outlines which cities have the ideal blend of higher pay and decent cost-of-living. And, there are apparently some brick-and-mortar retail stores that have become high-end destination experiences for shoppers. We talked to reporter Kassia St Clair in London to tell us more. Today’s show is sponsored by Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace) and Michigan Economic Development Corporation (planetm.com). (08/15/2018)

Indeed.com has crunched the numbers on salary and cost of living in 185 metro areas and come up with a list of cities where your salary will go the furthest. The list also indicates where economic and job opportunities will likely be strongest going forward. The top cities are Duluth, Minnesota; Wilmington, North Carolina; Lubbock, […]

Major department stores report their earnings this week, starting with Macy’s on Wednesday, followed by Nordstrom and J.C. Penney on Thursday. After a retail slump and slide over many quarters, Americans are coming back to shopping, and the numbers show stores are enjoying the trend. Click the audio player above to hear the full story. 

(U.S. Edition) The Turkish lira rebounded again today, but there’s been no cooldown in the ongoing feud between Turkey and the U.S. About a week after the U.S. raised tariffs on Turkish metals, Turkey followed suit with a tariff hike of its own on many items from the U.S. It’s the latest move in this economic tug-of-war between the two countries, and we speak to the BBC’s Turkey correspondent to hear about next steps. Also, we got a reading on retail sales that should be up, and we talk to Marketplace’s Erika Beras for more. And, we’ve been discussing toxic workplaces in the past week, especially bullying bosses and harassment. Could diversity be a solution? We talk to a consultant who helps companies devise inclusion strategies to find some answers. Today’s show is sponsored by Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace) and Michigan Economic Development Corporation (planetm.com). (08/15/2018)

Brick-and-mortar stores might not be dead just yet.

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … A political and economic feud between the U.S. and Turkey escalated after Turkey doubled tariffs on American goods including passenger cars and alcohol. We’ll bring you the very latest details from Istanbul. Then, South Korea’s president said he’ll connect his roads and railways to North Korea by the end of the year – progress after the summit between the two nations earlier this year. Afterwards, Mongolia is rich in copper, coal, gold, and one pre-historic commodity that’s struggling to keep safe from smugglers. Dinosaur fossils are fetching monster prices at international auction these days, but the government now is making efforts to keep the fossils at home. Today’s show is sponsored by Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace) and Michigan Economic Development Corporation (planetm.com). (08/15/2018)

Inclusion is a core component in building a desirable culture, one consultant says.

You and somebody across town might be paying the same fee, but getting very different service.

How much do you pay for internet service each month? And what do you get for that price? The National Digital Inclusion Alliance found that lots of customers are paying about $60 a month for their internet packages. And, some get super slow internet speeds, while others get super fast speeds. Internet service providers say they’re working to upgrade networks for everyone. Today on the show, NDIA executive director Angela Siefer talks with us about what it means for families paying full service prices for outdated internet service. (08/15/2018)

The website Krebs on Security reports that on Friday, the FBI sent banks around the country an alert. It said cyber criminals were preparing to a launch a global fraud scheme known as an “ATM cashout.” Small- and medium-sized banks appear most vulnerable to these kind of ATM attacks. Click the audio player above to […]

The movie marks a pivot in Jon M. Chu's career to tell stories that haven't been seen on screen.

The country's economy is improving, but many still bear the scars of the crisis.

Caitlin Rosenthal, author of "Accounting for Slavery," discusses the role slavery plays in the history of business.

How slaveholders used modern management techniques

There was a time when the chugging of fax machines was heard in every office. No longer since e-mail and instant messaging services took over our lives. Even so, many of those big, industrial scanner/printer/copiers in offices also have built in fax machines. And a new study says those machines can be very easily hacked.  […]

It wasn’t any one flare up that prompted so many platforms to ban Alex Jones. So why now?

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan wants to pull his people away from American-made smartphones and push them toward products from homegrown company Vestel. That could prove difficult, once you take a closer look at what comprises Vestel's phones.

(Markets Edition) The Turkish lira actually stopped falling for a change, actually rising about 5 percent today. But, plenty of damage still remains as it’s still lost a third of its value in the past month. Businesses and Turkish citizens are still reeling from the drop, and the country’s economic model is under scrutiny. We talk to a global economist from Wells Fargo Securities to get a clearer picture. Then, we’ll get an update on American debt when the Federal Reserve Bank of New York releases calculations for the spring to early summer quarter. Finally, we check in with the last Blockbuster store standing, and it has no plans of shutting down. Today’s show is sponsored by Alliance For Lifetime Income (retireyourrisk.org/advisors) and Carbonite (www.carbonite.com). (08/14/2018)

In the days before streaming video and mail-order movies, the blue and orange sign proclaiming a Blockbuster video was the draw for millions of Americans settling into their living rooms for weekend movies. But competition and technology have now rendered the once giant chain to just one U.S. store in Bend, Oregon. And its manager […]

Con artists are zeroing in on the retirement savings and other assets of an aging population, some of whom might already be suffering from cognitive decline.

U.S. economic growth surged in the second quarter to 4.1 percent on an annualized basis. But that’s decidedly out of sync with the overall slow economic growth we’ve seen year after year since the Great Recession. A new report from economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco suggests the financial crisis of 2008 shaved 7 […]

(U.S. Edition) The Turkish lira’s precipitous drop has stopped, but that didn’t stop the Turkish president from declaring that his country will boycott American smartphones. It’s meant to be a message to the U.S., but no one’s sure how this boycott is going to actually be enforced. Also, the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco has calculated that the financial crisis of a decade ago cost people tens of thousands of dollars right out of their pocket. And, con artists, scammers, and possibly even greedy family members and friends are setting their sights on the lump-sum retirement savings of an increasingly vulnerable population of seniors. We talk about ways people can start to protect themselves. Today’s show is sponsored by Alliance For Lifetime Income (retireyourrisk.org/advisors) and Carbonite (www.carbonite.com) (08/14/2018).    

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service…Turkey’s currency is seeing a pop higher today as the country’s president calls for a boycott on U.S. electronic goods – further straining economic relations with America. We’ll explore what that means for the ongoing financial problems in Turkey. Then, Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro said fuel prices in his country will rise to international levels, ending the government’s policy of gas subsidies – but what do higher prices mean for people who are already suffering from sky-high inflation and a troubled economic picture? Afterwards, while Australia’s GDP has clocked growth in the country at 3 percent, another gauge tells a different story about the economy. Today’s show is sponsored by Alliance For Lifetime Income (retireyourrisk.org/advisors) and Carbonite (www.carbonite.com) (08/14/2018).

The “creator” economy is made up of companies that host platforms, of social media, of marketing dollars, and of course, the talent uploading and sharing their music, comedy, photographs, and videos. Some of those creators make a living, but most of them don’t. Gaby Dunn knows first-hand the emotional rollercoaster of the creator economy; of never being sure if her videos or other work will pay off by the time rent is due. And that’s despite being a proven online success. Dunn has translated her online presence into a podcast, several book deals, and also a career as a prolific screenwriter, editor, actor, and comedian. We talk with her about what it means to make a career as a “creator,” even though she’s not a huge fan of the term. (08/14/2018)

As platforms like YouTube and Instagram rake in money, the people who try to make a living uploading videos and pictures often struggle.

It’s been a rough day for Monsanto, the maker of the weedkiller Roundup. On Friday a jury awarded a California groundskeeper $289.2 million, concluding that exposure to Roundup caused his cancer. On Monday stock in Bayer, the company that acquired Monsanto earlier this year, tumbled 10 percent. Click the audio player above to hear the […]

Because of the country’s falling currency, its foreign debt just got a lot more expensive.

In her new memoir, Karen Piper details growing up near the China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station.

Questions about promised reforms also hang over the country's economic future, one expert says.

But state's training program spends much more per person than the figure Congress might allocate if it decides to pass a SNAP work requirement

The economic crisis in Turkey deepened this morning, despite moves by central bank officials in Ankara to calm the flight from the currency. The Turkish lira has lost 39 percent of its value since the beginning of the month. And there’s a reason why the lira’s downfall makes investors nervous — analysts are looking to see […]

President Donald Trump heads to upstate New York on Monday to sign one of the largest military budgets in the nation’s history. The $716 billion John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act  pours money into pay, training and equipment maintenance, among other things. But some point out it adds to the fast-rising federal deficit and […]

(Markets Edition) The fall of the Turkish lira continues. The currency dropped another 7 percent today, bringing its total fall of value to about 40 percent for the month. This led the Turkish president to denounce those he called economic “traitors,” and we have an economist to talk to us about what happens next. Also, President Trump is expected to sign a $716 billion defense authorization bill, which will add thousands of personnel and even more debt to the federal budget. And, with the impact of the 2016 Wells Fargo “fake account” scandal still being felt, Los Angeles has passed an ordinance that states that any bank doing business with the city has to share its sales goals. We take a further look at that bill. Today’s show is sponsored by Avast (avast.com), Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace) and Michigan Economic Development Corporation (planetm.com) (08/13/2018)

Last month , LA took on predatory and high-pressure sales goals at major banks by tightening its responsible banking ordinance. Now, if a bank wants the city’s $17 million taxpayer-funded contracts, it must be transparent about sales goal tactics and employee compensation, and it can’t retaliate against whistleblowers who report suspected illegal bank activity. Bank reform advocates […]

(U.S. Edition) Turkey’s economic crisis is even worse, with the lira having lost 39 percent of its value since the start of the month. An economics correspondent from the BBC  lets us know about other solutions that are being explored. Also, with heat waves putting pressure on power grids, we remember one of history’s biggest blackouts: In 2003,  a tussle between a power line and tree in Ohio eventually left about 50 million people in the Northeast powerless. Marketplace’s Jed Kim takes a look at the reliability of the grid today. And a new analysis from the Associated Press finds that more jobs created this year were in counties that actually voted for Hillary Clinton, not Donald Trump, in 2016. Today’s show is sponsored by Avast (avast.com), Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace) and Michigan Economic Development Corporation (planetm.com) (08/13/2018)

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … Turkey’s central bank announced measures early this morning aimed at alleviating pressure on its embattled currency, the lira, which has fallen more than 40 percent so far this year. But are the country’s efforts enough to reassure international investors? Then, many of the world’s mining companies call South Africa home – in Peru, environmental regulations for medium and large-size companies have been relaxed in order to attract more investment, but not everyone is happy about this. Today’s show is sponsored by Avast (avast.com), Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace) and Michigan Economic Development Corporation (planetm.com) (08/13/2018)

In the past few months there has been a lot of debate over guns that can be made with a 3D printer, which would make it easier for people to get a gun. But there’s also a push happening in the tech startup world that is focused on making guns safer. “Smart gun” technology has been around since the 1970s. While the tech has evolved over time, the idea behind it has stayed the same: that only the rightful, registered user of the gun can operate it. Marketplace Tech guest host Amy Choi talked with Alex Yablon, a reporter at nonprofit newsroom The Trace, to find out why this technology hasn’t come to market. (08/13/2018)  

Startups are making firearms that only registered owners can use, but the weapons face a tough road to market.

Many voters backed President Donald Trump on the promise of new job growth in their respective parts of the country. But a report from the Associated Press shows that hasn't been the case – instead, it's the places who backed Clinton in 2016 that are reaping the benefits of rising employment.

A lot has changed since the Northeast blackout of 2003.